The Union - Milpitas High School - February 2022

VIRTUAL LEARNING DIRECTIONS CONFUSING (3)

HISTORY OF MILPITAS RACISM (5)

VIDEO GAMES SPREAD (8-9)

VALENTINE GRAMS (10-11)

LE COMMITS TO DUKE SOFTBALL (14)

THE

FEBRUARY 2022 VOLUME XXXIII ISSUE IV

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STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL

MUSD offers short-term independent study Jan. 10-13

Campus sees notable increase in violent behavior incidents

By Matthew Nguyen

Brian Dinh | THE UNION

Students returned to in-person learning after MUSD offered virtual independent study from Jan. 10-13.

By Brian Dinh Sharon Talaia

4% of MUSD students attended school in-person.

The Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) Superintendent’s Office proposed a plan on Jan. 6 to have all schools in the district move to real-time virtual learning from Jan. 10 through Jan. 13 with the option for students to attend school in-person if students could not stay at home or if they lacked adequate wi-fi service at home, Superintendent Cheryl Jordan said at the Board of Education meeting. The MUSD Board of Education unanimously passed the plan on Jan. 6.

All MUSD schools would be placed on a 10-day, district-wide quarantine along with real-time virtual learning, according to a message posted on ParentSquare by the Superintendent’s Office on Jan. 7.

In a message sent the next day, Jan. 8, the Superintendent’s Office stated, “After consulting with the Santa Clara County Office of Education, we learned that we are not able to offer a ‘districtwide quarantine.’” According to the message, “Community quarantines may be declared by County Public Health.” Addressed to the MUSD community, the letter said, “MUSD school sites will be open for in person learning to meet the needs of our community. For those parents/caregivers concerned for their students’ health and safety, you may choose our independent study program, short term or long term.”

The District learned from the county that it should not have said it wanted community members to quarantine themselves, Jordan said in an interview.

“Only the Public Health Department can request that,” Jordan said. “That’s why we had to change that language in the weekend messages. And the other thing we had to make sure that was clear was that our schools were open. The [Santa Clara County Board of Education] didn’t necessarily assist with the letter itself, although I did share the letter with our county superintendent before we sent it out.”

MUSD gave the short-term independent study option to students because of a 20% staff shortage for teachers and an influx of COVID-19 concerns in the community, Jordan said.

“Some of the classes had to be

combined or dispersed so that teachers took more kids in, and that meant that kids weren’t necessarily getting the best learning opportunities that they could,” Jordan said. “In some cases, that was simply, ‘Here’s a packet to complete,’ and that’s not the same as what we were able to offer by asking all teachers to do digital learning those four days.”

MUSD was able to approve short-term independent study for its students due to Assembly Bill (AB) 130, which lets the Board change policies and executive administration regulations regarding independent study for the school year, Jordan said.

“While the [independent study] policy is already in place, the policy was updated and revised to match the AB 130 law, which went into effect in the third week of July,” Jordan said.

Students who decided to do independent study during those four days will count for school attendance the same way as students who attended in person as long as they sign their independent study contracts, Jordan said.

MUSD will not receive funding for the students who opted for independent study from Jan. 10 to Jan. 13 if their independent study contracts are not signed within 30 days, Jordan said.

“Students whose parents don’t complete an independent study contract, and if the students were not in-person, then we now have to count them as not present and that affects our average daily attendance,” Jordan said.

The school board does not consider a similar independent study period to be desirable in the future, school board Vice President Chris Norwood said in an interview. In general, children learn better through in-person learning, Norwood added.

“There’s the socialization aspect of school in terms of their development; there’s a relationship development,” Norwood said. “The physical relationship that we have on seeing each other, recognizing each other, and learning from each other is very, very important.”

MUSD changed its masking rules by requiring double-masking for those using cloth masks, according to an email sent by the Office of Superintendent on Jan. 13.

Five N95 masks were handed out to each student coming during their 4th period during the week of Jan. 18 to Jan. 21, according to a message posted on

ParentSquare by MHS Vice Principal Jennifer Hutchison on Jan. 20. The message, titled “Notification Letter to Parents/Guardians Regarding COVID-19 Exposures at School,” was on Milpitas High letterhead, but signed by the Office of the Superintendent.

According to Hutchison, there were 285 positive COVID-19 cases from Jan. 3 to Jan. 7. The week after MUSD offered shortterm independent study, there were 53 positive COVID-19 cases, and from Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, there were 32 positive COVID-19 cases, Hutchison said. These statistics are approximate and are based both on school testing and families reporting test results, Hutchison said.

“So when we came back from winter break, we counted nearly 300 positive cases where 133 of those students had been on campus in the first few days of the new semester,” she said.

MUSD is also working to offer more COVID-19 test kits in the future, Jordan said. MUSD has ordered more kits and is hoping to distribute them before February break, Jordan said.

“Our county told us at a superintendent’s meeting that there’s a possibility the state may provide tests again to all schools,” Jordan said. “Hopefully, this time, there’s plenty of time to pass them out.”

According to the aforementioned Jan. 20 message, MUSD would not send out individual close contact notifications to students and parents from Jan. 14 to Feb. 11. Frequent exposures to COVID-19 occurring in both school and outside of school made it difficult for MUSD to conduct traditional contact tracing and exposure notification, the message stated.

“Instead, we will focus on weekly testing of all students and staff,” the message said.

English teacher Brook Douglas said in an interview that he thought there was no other option but to offer the “virtual learning” option.

“We had three administrators who were out due to sickness or COVID exposure,” Douglas said.

“I think that the idea of a stop— stop for about a week—I think was a good idea.”

Moving to real-time virtual learning during independent study was straightforward, Douglas said. He was prepared for another situation like virtual learning during the 2020-2021 school year and thought administration did their best, Douglas said.

Forty-six education code violations involving violence occurred at MHS from Aug. 12, 2021 to Feb. 7, 2022, according to a report from Assistant Principal Jennifer Hutchison. Of these 46 violations, 25 were categorized as causing, attempting, or threatening physical injury while one violation coded as assault/battery on a school employee occurred, the report said. Hutchison clarified that the number of violations do not equate to the number of incidents as one incident could be coded as multiple violations. In comparison, from Aug. 15, 2019 to Feb. 7, 2020, there were a total of 22 code violations involving violent behavior at MHS, according to the report.

The first notable instance of violent behavior seen among MHS students this school year was observed in early September when a group of ten male students, mostly ninth graders, bullied and harassed other students on campus, Principal Francis Rojas said in an interview on Sept. 23, 2021.

“We went through the normal disciplinary process around suspensions,” Rojas said. “But when the students returned… the large group of boys seemed a little larger… I’m not saying that these boys

are a gang, but they are definitely displaying gang-like activity to intimidate and create a hostile environment on this campus,” he added.

During MUSD’s board meeting on Dec. 14, 2021, Milpitas Teachers Association President Diana Orlando read a statement from physics teacher Charles Schletzbaum about violent behavior at MHS. “There is a worrying trend afoot at Milpitas High,” Schletzbaum said in his statement. “On Nov. 17, three MHS staff members, including myself, were inappropriately physically pushed by one student and kicked or punched by a second student while trying to prevent harm to the aforementioned students. Later, a staff member witnessed a second student brag to their entourage about assaulting a security guard while being caught on video and making punching gestures to emphasize their point.”

On Feb. 3, 2022, another violent incident occurred on campus, involving approximately four students, senior Eduoard Gonzales, who witnessed the fight, said in an interview.

“About three students were all fighting one student,” Gonzales SEE PAGE 16

MUSD partners with City Peace Project to help support students

By Ryan Teoh

MUSD is partnering with the City Peace Project to provide high school students resources at MHS and Cal Hills in the development of their pathways for the future, according to Chris Norwood.

According to MUSD School Board Vice President Chris Norwood, the usual reason behind these sorts of partnerships is that schools make requests of the board for things to be passed.

The schools see a need for student support in a variety of different areas – academics, social development, or emotional development among other things –so they file requests.

While the program hasn’t been fully implemented and is still in the design phase, Norwood has visited the City Peace Project organization to get a better idea of what type of support the City Peace Project aims to provide, he said.

“Career, vocationally, educationally, things of that nature.

It’s almost like an extension of counseling to a certain extent around the academic area,” Norwood said. “I know that we do things like we have the life management course at the high school. We have each individual counselor that supports students, and during this time of COVID, I would believe that the school has identified there’s additional need for different types of support for

students.”

Some students have reached out asking if the board would investigate more mental health services for students and social emotional resources, Norwood said. The district has begun to offer more types of training for staff and students, and he assumes that the partnership aligns with those types of services, he said.

“We talk about it all the time at the board/teacher goals about educational pathways that are created for a student to reach their full potential,” Norwood said. “We’re focusing on how can students have the best experience at Milpitas high school, how can they tie that into their life plan goals.”

The timeline and plan for the program, which will be implemented for both of the district’s high schools, is still in the design process, and due to the current Omicron crisis the district is facing, could be moved back depending on how the COVID situation changes, Norwood said.

“In terms of what we’re all trying to figure out, there’s a number of things that don’t get implemented the way that we desire based on availability of staff and resources,” Norwood said.

“I would say if the timeline on this is delayed, it definitely has something to do with what we’re dealing with, not only in our community, but nationally and internationally.”

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THE UNION

PRO Driving navigates teenagers towards adulthood A driver’s license is a teenager’s structor. This learning permit gateway to independence. Not restricts children from driving only is it a significant milestone on their own, requiring an adult in many young lives, it is a symwith them at all times. In Calibol of freedom and responsibility fornia, this student is now supas a teenager emerges into adultposed to hold onto the permit hood. While there are consefor six months while receiving a quences to student driving, drivminimum of two hours of driver’s licenses are a way for parents ing instruction and practicing to show their trust, which builds on their own in both daytime a sense of responsibility in young and nighttime for a total of fifadults. ty hours. Finally, after High school is the taking the driver’s test period between childonce the six months hood and adulthood. have passed, a proviChildren are abruptsional license is givly thrown into adulten to the student, and hood, college, career, they can drive alone. and more, and they are However, they are not not prepared to face allowed to transport those responsibilities friends under the age all at once. Driving is of 25 unless supervised the ideal way to tackle with a licensed parent ARCHANAA those burdens and let RAMAKRISHNAN or guardian for a full teenagers learn about 12 months. Thus, for a responsibility, comstudent driver to have munication, and safety of others. all the freedom to drive, they By driving, teenagers can dip would need to wait until they are their toes into adulthood and seventeen, and even then there learn important values that are time restrictions. With all come with driving. Even more of these regulations for teenage so, student drivers at the age of drivers, the state is doing the 16 will be more skilled and exmost it can in monitoring them. perienced drivers at the age of Allowing teens to drive early 18. This begs the question: are gives them a sense of responsibilteenagers automatically more ity and gently opens the door to responsible drivers if they start adulthood. Driving teaches them when they are eighteen? independence, trust, commuIn the state of California, the nication, and also shapes young precautions set in place for stuminds for better executive funcdent drivers to learn and abide tioning. Yes, teenagers might by are enough discipline to want to emulate the driving skill maintain safety protocols. Beof Vin Diesel from “The Fast and fore earning a license, students The Furious” rather than “Drivmust obtain a learning permit, ing Ms. Daisy,” but after all the for which they are required to hype and excitement fades, what take an online driving course, a is left is a fully-functioning, written exam, and one hour of responsible teen ready for the driving instruction with an inworld.

CON Driving steers teenagers to danger or death Imagine yourself at 16 years ing practices that result in major old. You just received your drivaccidents. As a result, raising the er’s license and want to celebrate legal driving age would make a by taking your friends for a drive. lot of sense in order to safeguard However, as you guys are blastthose minors and their fellow ing music and having fun, your passengers. Also, most parents phone beeps, and you look away make poor driving teachers, and for just one second. Suddenly, the majority of driver’s education you collide with a vehicle. Two courses are no better. People can of your friends are killed on the only learn if they have been apspot, while the third is seriously propriately taught over a course injured. Every year, thousands of of time and at a certain age, not teenagers face this reality. Motor if they have been paid $300 to accidents are the leadbe yelled at by often ining cause of death for experienced teachers young Americans, acwhile they are children cording to Teen Driver themselves.

Source. A 2017 study F u r t her mor e, we

by Teen Driver Source should encourage young says 1,916 teen drivers people to seek enviare killed each year, and ronmentally friendly over 300,000 minors alternatives, such as are injured. American riding bicycles or usfamilies cannot afford ing public transportato lose so many loved tion. This can provide ANANNYA ones. With your friends more opportunities for BHUSKAT texting you and a bright exercise. This mindset electronic screen on will persist throughout your dashboard, it’s tough to stay adulthood, leading to a “green” focused on the road. society that will aid in the reducIn the United States, a teention of pollution. ager has twice the chance of dyAnother reason the driving age ing in an automobile accident as should be increased is that teenan adult. Talking on the phone agers’ minds are not developed while driving contributes to car enough to handle driving. “A viaccidents. The likelihood of actal component of the teen’s brain cidents decreases as driving age - the area that glances ahead and rises. Taking teens off the road analyzes consequences - remains will save a lot of lives. As a result, immature,” according to a study raising the driving age could save done at the University of Califormany lives each year, particularnia, Davis. During adolescence, ly in nations where drivers are the human brain is volatile and still children. immature, particularly in the In fact, people who are youngareas of impulse control, coner are more inclined to overessequence prediction, and emotimate their driving abilities. tional stability. These abilities If there are other young pasare obviously necessary for safe sengers in the car, those young driving, and thus need to be dedrivers are more likely to boast veloped before a young teen is and participate in unsafe drivgiven freedom on the road.

OPINIONS

FEBRUARY 2022

CLOG committee creates continual confusion Clubs are useful vehicles to who is able to delegate responmeet people with similar inter- sibilities and hold students acests and find communities amid countable. the intimidating waters of high Psychologist Carl E. Pickhardt school social life, but those quali- said that adolescents become ties fall apart amidst the disorga- more chaotic upon entering their nization, inefficiency, and lack of teenage years: “The growing incommunication prevalent in the dividual complexity of the young CLOG committee—a student-run person … and the growing sogoverning body of all the clubs on cial complexity with which they campus. must deal … creates inThe CLOG commitcreased personal distee’s disorganization organization in early can be inferred from adolescence.” W hile their r ushed planstudents’ disorganizaning of the Nov. CLOG tion may be a right of Food Sale. The sale passage into adolestook place on Nov. 5, cence, it should not be but clubs were notified allowed to negatively of approval on Nov. 3 impact other students. or 4, giving them two W hile I can only days to buy the food, speculate about the RIYA if it was even in stock. disorganization that VYAS They would have had exists within the comto look through dozmittee, their actions ens of applications to are undeniably ineffiensure that foods met stringent cient. The CLOG training videos nutritional requirements, while sent out for new charters are a likely having to answer a slew of prime example. The videos lead emails because of the late notice. with the impossible assumption That is not to blame the students that new charters are familiar of the committee, many of whom with running clubs—never clarhave many other classes and ex- ifying how deposits, funds, and tracurriculars, but to show that reimbursements work. Confustudents should not be expected sion can hardly be blamed on to handle such a huge responsi- the students, as anyone, includbility. Instead, the committee ing freshmen, can join the comshould be led by a qualified adult mittee, so those in charge of in-

structing clubs may never before have stepped foot on campus.

Allowing clueless people to instruct equally clueless people is a perfect recipe for confusion.

Finally, the CLOG committee suffers from a lack of communication. When submitting applications for fundraisers or recharters, clubs almost never get an approval email in a timely manner and end up having to reach out to the commissioners or Mr. Maneja themselves for confirmation. In addition, CLOG Council meetings, which are supposed to happen once a month, took place only once in the Fall semester.

While high school has the important job of introducing adolescents to responsibility, high schoolers should not be given so much power to impact other students. Student-run clubs might not be able to hold fundraisers, collect finances, and participate in leadership events, thus risking disbandment because the CLOG committee is unable to handle organizational responsibilities.

The committee’s inadequacy could hinder students from making significant accomplishments.

Having a faculty member be the primary leader, and not just an overseer, of the committee, would allow clubs on campus to thrive.

Proposed math framework subtracts from student education; inhibts school success California is in the process of classes they want to take. Choice updating its math framework is important because it gives stufor grades K-12. The proposed dents the opportunity to diversiframework is called “A fy and figure out what Pathway to Equitable they are interested in.

Math Instruction,” and This framework asits goal is to create eqsumes that math is uity in math by keeping something that all stuall students in the same dents enjoy, and everylevel math courses until one has equal ability their junior year in high to excel at it. This asschool. I believe the sumption is not true. new proposed frameSome students excel at work should not be immath from a young age, plemented because it is and students who tend MUSKAAN unfair to students, subto enjoy math tend to MAHAJAN tracts from the meanbe a minority. These ing of math, and does students should have not solve the root causthe opportunity to exes of inequities in education. cel and should not be held back.

“A Pathway to Equitable Math Additionally, according to Instruction” is unfair to students Kenin M. Spivak, a writer for Nabecause it does not give strug- tional Review, “instead of using gling students the chance to im- numbers to teach math, ‘Pathprove, holds back students who way’ advocates that schools use excel in math, and integrates so- numbers to motivate anti-racist cial science teaching with math. discussions of social justice.”

When struggling students are Math is something that is objecplaced in lower-level math class- tive, not something that should es, teachers are given the oppor- be mixed in with social justice tunity to help them by dedicating movements. Requiring these their time to helping them. How- types of teachings diminishes ever, with this new framework, the quality of education taught in all students of varying abilities the classroom, hence the frameare placed at the same math lev- work’s goal of equity ironically el, hampering teachers’ ability to promotes inequity among stuhelp struggling students. dents.

Furthermore, this framework Secondly, the framework does takes away from students’ abil- not address the root cause for ity to choose the type of math a high percentage of minority

students in lower math classes.

According to the U.S Department of Education, schools with high percentages of Hispanic and Black students typically do not offer accelerated courses because these schools tend to be in low-income areas. The inequality in math performance is not a racial issue but due to a lack of resources, and according to Tom Loveless, a scholar at Brookings Institution, the best way to serve low-income communities is by providing students an accelerated program.

Hence, by removing the accelerated curriculum, this framework is going to harm the kids it is intended to help. Additionally, it also reduces math scores for standardized state tests.

Since 2015 San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) has been requiring all students to take Algebra 1 in their freshman year. According to Ze’eV Wurman, a writer for the Independent, “[SBAC Testing] shows that the number of SFUSD students achieving proficiency in math declined after the change by 5 percent overall. English-language learners were hurt particularly, with their proficiency dropping by almost half, from 29 to 17 percent.” Therefore, the new proposed curriculum does not improve student’s math skills but exacerbates them.

Allow yourself to enjoy dumb movies The world we live in constantBut why should they be considly floods us with new entertainered guilty pleasures? Movies ment, from album drops should not have to have to video game launches a deep artistic meaning to movie releases. Peoto have value. ple are overwhelmed In 2021, two movies by content and rely on were released just a critics to know what to day apart: “The Powwatch. But critics tend er of the Dog,” a film to talk about movies about a rancher, and that are highbrow, or “The Princess Switch considered “art,” and 3: Romancing the Star,” shun movies that don’t a film about princessfeed their ego. Enteres switching places yet DAVID tainment should be again and getting into RENDON allowed to exist for its hijinks. The former had own sake. Unsophistia star-studded cast, won cated movies are often Golden Globes, and is called guilty pleasure movies. predicted to win several Oscars.

I haven’t seen it. And I have zero interest in doing so. I have, however, seen “The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star,” and I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t say it’s been snubbed of any awards, but I would recommend it if you’re looking for a lighthearted movie to kill time. And it’s the type of movie people tend to think of as a guilty pleasure because it is a “dumb” movie.

I appreciate and agree with what artsy movies are meant to be, thought-provoking and meant to engage with their audience, but they have ultimately served CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

FEBRUARY 2022 FROM PAGE 2

as a catalyst for film snobs to discredit “dumb” movies. And I disagree; I think “dumb” movies serve the important purpose of entertainment.

I don’t think we should make fewer movies that raise important questions. But, I also don’t think we should look down on movies that are not doing that.

Everyone wants something different out of entertainment; some people are in it for just a laugh. “Dumb” movies serve that purpose; I think they’re great movies to just turn your brain off and enjoy.

Movies are art, and art has always been meant for people. But nowadays there is a clear divide between movies for critics and awards, and movies for general consumption. Watching movies

is becoming a competition to “get it” instead of a leisurely activity to unwind. But highbrow movies are just an excuse to seem intelligent; it’s an excuse of hubris. Movies that are made for entertainment are dismissed as dumb by critics, and they deem them as having no artistic value.

But there is value in movies that you are just meant to enjoy. Why should we treat tragedies as any more valuable than a comedy? Is it more artistic to wallow in your sorrows than to make others laugh and forget the darkness in the world for just a moment?

It is a time-honored tradition to watch campy movies, like “Sharknado” and “He’s All That,” and make fun of them with friends while also genuinely enjoying them. I do not think comedies should stop trying to be insightful, but there’s no harm in a

EDITORIAL movie that isn’t. They don’t leave the viewer wanting to be a better person or contemplating life, but when times are tough, a shallow movie makes the heart light and the soul content. I think we need to accept movies like “The Princess Switch” trilogy for what they are. There’s nothing wrong with these movies for not delivering some beautiful portrait of humanity and its nature; they’re just silly Christmas movies.

I think people truly just need to be less judgemental and also willing to be silly and have a little fun. There should be nothing wrong with admitting you enjoy so-called “dumb” movies. By doing so, we embrace a harmful culture of believing the things that we find joy in are guilt-inducing.

No one should have to consider movies they enjoy guilty pleasures, let people enjoy things.

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Teachers deserve appreciation for their efforts An unprecedented challenge hit MHS during the first week of the second semester as over 450 students were absent daily, with more than 200 due to COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, over 25 staff members were out due to COVID-19-related illnesses and quarantine, Principal Rojas said in a schoolwide email on Jan. 7.

Because of this staff shortage, teachers had to use their open periods to cover for other absent teachers.

In a special school board meeting on Jan. 6, Assistant Superintendent of Human Relations Jonathon Brunson and Superintendent Cheryl Jordan discussed the shortage of substitute teachers as well as other unfilled positions and proposed the possibility of moving back to online learning.

As classes shifted back to online on Jan. 10, teachers continued their best efforts to teach students and engage them with the learning material, as they have been doing since the beginning of this challenge-riddled school year.

From giving up their open periods to supervise other classes to trying their best to keep class-

es engaged in the brief period of online learning, teachers have stretched themselves thin in order to do what is best for their students.

First, they had to adapt to doing distance learning on short notice. The school board called for a sudden meeting due to the rapidly escalating COVID situation, and a clarification email from Rojas added to the bombardment of announcements that both students and teachers had to take in the span of a weekend. Because distance learning was only optional, teachers also had to stay in school in case any students attended classes in-person. Even though only one or two students trickled from classroom to classroom, most of the teachers continued instructing from school instead of in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

In addition, teachers have had to keep up with constant changes since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. For example, they have had to modify classroom rules aimed towards maintaining safety, such as having students step outside to drink water and ensuring that students wear their masks cor-

rectly. In light of the new Omicron variant, teachers also try to limit contact between students by assigning seating and restricting group work. They also helped with contact tracing in the event of a positive case. Having to work their way through all these changes while still performing their teaching duties is no easy feat, and it is truly admirable.

On top of COVID-19-related issues, teachers and other school personnel have had to deal with some of the school fights that have sporadica lly occurred around campus. A few teachers have even been directly involved in breaking up fights. Yet, despite all of this, they continue to do their best to maintain order.

Lastly, some teachers have also shown compassion and leniency toward their students. Some of them show grace in extending deadlines and allowing classes and lessons to go at a reasonable pace.

This school year has proven to be rough for everyone, but teachers have stepped up and have shown grit and perseverance. For that, we thank and appreciate them for pulling through during these uneasy times.

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union Directions for short-term independent study difficult to follow Following winter break, the COV ID-19 Omicron variant spread rapidly throughout all Milpitas schools, with over 200 daily absences from Jan. 3 to Jan. 7 due to positive cases at MHS alone. With the situation worsening every day, the MUSD Board of Education called a special meeting on Jan. 6 to decide whether students should continue to stay in-person or do online distance learning for one week. The online option would essentially create a 10-day virtual environment to allow the positive COVID case rate to decrease. After a meeting that ran for over two hours, the board unanimously decided that students would turn to distance learning from Jan. 10 to Jan. 13. Everyone needed clear instructions in this situation, but over the next few days, students and families received a series of mixed messages.

The day after the Board of Education meeting, Friday, Jan. 7, Principal Rojas stated in an email that distance learning would begin Monday, Jan. 10 and students would attend classes following the normal bell schedule. However, the email also stated that a distance-learning consent form would need to be filled out with a parent’s signature to participate in the four days of online school.

This message made it sound like the form was needed before school went online, and yet the form was nowhere to be found.

To clear the growing confusion, another email was sent by Rojas clarifying that the form could be completed following the four days of distance learning. The initial response to the outbreak lacked clarity and a lot of necessary details that were important for any upcoming changes to our school system.

Then, on Jan. 8, an email sent

by Board Support and Communications Specialist Scott Forstner via ParentSquare stated that MUSD school sites were to be open for in-person learning, and parents could choose if they wanted their child to participate in either long- or short-term, distance learning. The message went on to say that the Milpitas Unified School District is unable to offer a “district-wide quarantine” after they consulted with the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE). This entire statement was quite confusing as it sounded like distance learning was both optional and not possible at the same time. Regardless, if the Board of Education had consulted with the SCCOE prior to their Jan. 6 meeting, a whole lot of the confusion could have

been avoided. A clarification email was sent on Jan. 9 by Principal Rojas, which outlined the final plan of distance learning.

It took three days to completely clear up the confusion, and everything was finalized less than 24 hours before school began again on Monday, Jan. 10. These decisions and announcements were made on such short notice that many parents were panicking and worrying because they were unable to take care of their child at home due to work. Teachers themselves were not sure what was going to happen. They were required to come to school and teach from their classrooms, leaving teachers with kids especially concerned about how they would teach and take care of their child at the same time.

Overall, the handling of the Omicron outbreak was messy and rushed. It is understandable given the circumstances—high rates of absences, insufficient staffing, not enough tests—and we appreciate the action taken. However, if the Board of Education had taken a bit more time to think through everything thoroughly before diving into this complicated affair, they could have gotten their information out to Milpitas residents in a clear and concise manner.

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THE UNION

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 2022

E-Tech expands opportunities Students romanticize starving, sleep deprivation

By Fardin Haque

The Engineering Academy, also known as E-Tech, is one of the four academies offered at MHS, and strives to offer hands-on projects and field trips to enable students to see what it takes to be an engineer, according to their main website. Students can join an academy starting in 10th grade and they last till 12th grade, taking up one class slot every year for an academy-related class.

Some of the reasons to join E-Tech include being able to go on field trips and getting handson opportunities. Two students, Huy Tran and Ianna Carreon, spoke out on why they joined, shared their experiences, and gave their recommendations for future students.

“I was having a hard time making friends my freshman year, and when they gave us the orientation about the academies, they mentioned something about being in several classes with the same people,” Carreon said in an interview. “I wanted to meet new people and hopefully make long-lasting friendships with them, and having the same people in my classes for three years sounded like a great way to achieve that goal.”

According to Tran, the academic and guidance factors weighed more into his decision of joining.

“To be honest, I knew I didn’t get the best grades, so I thought that an academy would help me out in my college application process… they showed us slides about projects that we’re going to do… I thought we would get something more out of it,” Tran said in an in-

terview.

Upon entering E-Tech, students were offered several projects, workshops, and field trips to take part in and learn from, but COVID-19 did slow down academy activities, according to Tran and Carreon.

“COVID has really gotten in the way of all the administration’s plan,” Carreon said. “There was also that period of time in my sophomore year where they struggled to find a new engineering teacher… Despite that, I’d say that it wasn’t all that bad. I got to learn a lot of the hands-on stuff virtually last year. It wasn’t as fun as if we did them in person, but the knowledge and experience has taught me a lot, nonetheless.”

Some of the specific topics that the E-Tech academy exposes their students to include coding, CAD, and hands-on building, according to Tran.

“We built this balsa bridge out of wood, planned it, AutoCAD it, and we built these VEX robots, we used coding for them and everything, and then we played soccer with them; that was pretty fun,” Tran said. He also described how they took E-Tech out of the classroom too. “We would go to parks nearby and have fun collaborative building sites, like building rockets and shooting them out.

Those days were very hands-on.”

As for recommendation and advice for future students interested in E-tech, Carreon said, “Be outspoken and confident, but not too confident. Take every opportunity given to you. Learn to work with different personalities, even if you aren’t particularly fond of them.”

By Mia Liu

Workloads have drastically increased since elementary and middle school, and many students now have to accommodate their amount of work with new schedules, routines, and lifestyles. As a result, high school students have developed many habits over the years, some better than others.

Some of these habits include staying up late and skipping meals, which are issues currently affecting many students at MHS. “School makes you work hard,” junior Benson Tran said in an interview. “You work hard, you sleep less. You sleep less, you probably wake up late. And then that forces people to rush to school, and breakfast is no longer a top priority.”

It seems as though people are more willing to sleep late and wake up late than to sleep early and wake up early, Tran said. It can be easier for some to continue working than to take a break and wake up to finish their task the next day, Tran added.

“People are like, ‘I stayed up studying until four in the morning or something,’ then they’ll give a ridiculous amount of time [referencing how little they had slept],” Tran said.

The reason these unhealthy habits have become an issue is be-

cause of the competitive nature of high school students, Tran added.

“As long as there’s this type of competitive schooling and everyone’s goals are put in place, there’s no real way to [stop this issue]... because everyone’s trying to be better than everyone else,” Tran said. “The reason why we’ve romanticized all of this is because in the end, it shows how hard we’ve worked.”

Staying up late helps at the moment, but it gradually builds up and you start becoming more and more tired because you are missing out on an essential item that contributes to your health, junior Vijeta Ramasamy said in an interview.

“You get tired and just want to quit every now and then,” Ramasamy said. “But you’ve got to keep on going because that’s what you’re told to do by everyone else like teachers and parents.

They’re telling you to get good grades, get all this, and you’re being pushed by those standards.

And that’s what makes you lose sleep, and you start staying up, and then that ultimately makes your health deteriorate.”

Aside from sleeping late, Ramasamy also believes that procrastination is an issue.

“They always say, ‘Oh, yeah, I did it last minute. I turned it in at 11:59 p.m.’ like it’s such a good

thing,” Ramasamy said. “At this point, [this issue] has progressed so far… it’s kind of hard to regress.”

It’s all based on the person and their choices, Ramasamy said. If they don’t want to change their habits, it’ll be impossible. It all depends on everyone’s individual thoughts and actions, Ramasamy said.

“I think people tend to romanticize not eating a lot, even though we have a growing awareness as a school, as a student body population, about eating disorders,” senior Vyoma Bhanap said in an interview.

Romanticizing unhealthy habits comes from a place of wanting to seek validation and support, Bhanap said. However, romanticization often turns into a custom of trying to make yourself seem like the victim of some situation, or saying that you’re better because you’re handling so much more, Bhanap added.

“I’d say [unhealthy habits] definitely intensify during college application season because it becomes a race in many ways. It becomes a race of…‘Are you killing yourself over college apps? Are you getting two hours of sleep because you are working so hard?’”

Bhanap said. “It creates this culture of wanting to one-up the other person.”

Spanish classes teach more than language

By David Rendon

Spanish is one of the languages MHS offers ranging from Spanish I to AP Spanish. But, how do you teach Spanish, a language spoken by over 572 million people and the official language of 21 different countries, effectively in a classroom?

Spanish is a diverse language with many dialects and accents providing students with a range of vocabulary words to learn.

“I try to tell them and remind them that just like in the United States; there’s a southern accent, a Bostonian accent… I tell them that it’s the same thing in Spanish,” Spanish teacher Ricardo Lopez, a native Spanish speaker who teaches Spanish I and heritage speakers, said in an interview.

“There might be a difference from one state to the next in the same country and things like that. So I try to make them aware that it’s not all going to sound like me. It’s going to sound very different. I have students from Colombia, or from El Salvador, students from Guatemala, and it’s kind of interesting hearing all these different dialects and different words for things. So I’ll even [be] learning new stuff. I’ll say, ‘Oh, wait, what was that word you said?’ … So it’s really interesting to kind of compare and contrast the language of the students.”

However, there is more to a language than vocabulary and grammar. Spanish I and Spanish III teacher Kimberly Marion said in an interview that she believes culture is important to teach in a language class because it’s one of the many things that make up a language.

Lopez said he goes about teaching culture predominantly through music. “I will kind of explain like, oh, this band is from this part of the world, and this is a typical music that you would hear in that part of the world … Some

days, I would play some bachata or some salsa, maybe some cumbia.”

When you’re teaching a language, you have to decide what gets cut to save time, and cultural topics are usually what get cut, Lopez said. Marion wishes she could teach more about the value system present in Latin culture.

“There’s a lot more importance on living more simplistically, rather than the way that we live here, and I would like to really get more into that. And how each culture has a constructive way of living, which pertains particularly to that culture, which enables those people to thrive,” Marion said.

For students who wish to explore Latin culture more outside of the classroom, there are many different ways. Marion’s advice to students is to travel. She said it does not matter how long, but travel and immerse yourself in the language and culture.

“I would say food is probably the best place to go and get some new culture,” Lopez said. “After that, I would say music. And then stuff on Netflix or YouTube…

They have different shows from different countries. So I think that’s kind of a way to see a broader element of culture as opposed to just kind of studying out of a book.”

Lopez also recommends his students check out the Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, as well as other authors from the Latin American boom, a literary movement. Marion recommends her students look into the Mexican poet Octavio Paz. Latino Student Union (LSU) President and MHS Junior Katrina Lima-Guan said, “I feel I mean, it’s pretty good, I feel like they do cover a lot of parts but… maybe talk a bit more about like other countries because I feel like it is somewhat focused more on the Spain region.”

Photos Courtesy of Justin Nguyen and Jasmeen Bains

Juniors Justin Nguyen (left) and Jasmeen Bains (right) will graduate from MHS one year early this semester.

Looking forward: Early graduates share experiences

By Anannya Bhuskat

Jasmeen Bains and Justin Nguyen, both originally of the class of 2023, are graduating from high school early this year for several reasons, including getting a head start on college, freeing up time for a job, and wanting a fresh start in their educational careers.

In order to graduate early, these students stayed on top of their work, planned out their courses, and took extra classes as well.

Bains wanted to challenge herself and find an advanced path to be successful in college. She began taking college courses during the summer before freshman year and liked not having to worry about them for the rest of the school year, Bains said.

“My older sister graduated early as well, so I was aware of [the opportunity],” Bains said. “But, I had not decided if I wanted to do it. When my counselor told me I had the opportunity to, I decided to take more classes to meet the credit requirements.”

Bains, who took courses at the San Jose City College Extension (SJCC), said the planning and coordination with the college was a tricky process. Communication with the SJCC counselors along with the MHS counselors was very time-consuming and required much effort, especially because MHS has strict rules on classes available outside the high school, such as the type and number of outside courses you can take, Bains added.

However, Bains hit a bump in the road when the COVID-19

pandemic hit. “SJCC was on the edge of whether to keep offering classes or not. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to take the classes I needed [to meet graduation requirements]. Luckily, the classes opened up, and I was able to take virtual classes instead.

This ended up being better because I was able to manage my time more,” Bains said.

Nguyen, who made the decision to graduate early around his sophomore year, chose this path for his mental wellness and emotional well-being, he said.

“Like many students at MHS, I’m a child of immigrant parents, and growing up, I was supposed to follow this ‘cookie-cutter’ plan of being successful. However, COVID had a huge impact on my mental health. I did not enjoy online classes at all, and I didn’t feel like I learned the best from them.

A lot of my teachers noticed, and it was really hard. I managed to work through it, but started researching whether I could graduate early,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen navigated through most of this process himself, with minimal help from any school or outside counselors, he said.

He felt as though people did not believe in him due to the effects the pandemic had on him and his grades during the second semester of his sophomore year, he added.

After extensive research, Nguyen found that he was eligible to take the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) in order to graduate, he said. The CHSPE awards a certification

equivalent to a four-year high school diploma.

Nguyen originally planned to take the test earlier, but due to COVID-19 protocols and changing regulations, he took and passed the exam in October of 2021. He has already graduated from MHS, currently attends college classes at De Anza College, and plans to continue them for the next two years. Afterward, he plans on taking a gap year to focus on and explore himself before transferring to a four-year university.

Bains applied for early admission to California Northstate and will be attending their “three plus four” medical program. She plans to complete her undergrad, and then go to medical school in the next three years, she said.

“I kind of regret [graduating early], especially with COVID, because I wasn’t able to have the normal high school experience.

But, I’m glad because I feel like the [SJCC] classes prepared me for college. I would recommend this path only to people who are absolutely sure they want to do it.

If you are even a little iffy about it, you will end up regretting it for a very long time,” Bains said.

“We are still teenagers. I don’t believe that the pressure high school puts on our backs is worth ruining mental health. I don’t believe it’s healthy,” Nguyen said.

“My advice to students would be to not be fixated on the idea of university or college, or what you are going to do exactly after high school, and to allow yourselves to find your own path.”

FEBRUARY 2022

FEATURES

THE UNION

5

From segregation to integration: History of discrimination in Milpitas

By Riya Vyas David Rendon

Milpitas, considered by many of its residents to be a bubble free of pervasive American bigotry, has a long and complicated history of racial discrimination. It has admittedly done better than some other American cities, but, like everywhere else, it still has a long way to go. From Ben Gross, the first Black mayor of Milpitas, and his fight for racial integration, to modern-day gentrification, Milpitas must continually work to practice its spirit of unity and inclusion.

After the first white American settlers in the 1850s, Milpitas remained predominantly white for about 100 years. Transformatively, the Ford plant (now the Great Mall) moved from Richmond, California, in 1954 and brought with it many African American, Hispanic, and Asian workers, Donnie Eiland, executive producer of the “‘54” documentary, said in an interview.

There was only one problem.

“One of the federal government’s specifications for mortgages insured in Milpitas was an openly stated prohibition on sales to African Americans,” Richard Rothstein, author of “The Color of Law,” wrote.

Ben Gross, the union representative for Ford, battled the city, the contractors, and the builders to create an integrated neighborhood, Ben Gross Jr. said in “‘54.”

He had support from the Quakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW), Gross Jr. added.

In 1955, the integrated housing development was called Agua Caliente. But when the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors learned it was to be integrated, they rezoned the site from residential to industrial use and increased the minimum lot size, making the houses in the project unfeasible to buy for work-

ing-class families, Rothstein said.

After the first builder gave up, Gross hired a new one who proposed one all-white development and an integrated one in a far less desirable place, Rothstein wrote.

Evidently, the builder’s plan was to create two separate, racially homogenous developments, not integrated ones.

The then-mayor of Milpitas, Tom Evatt, discouraged integration, saying Black people did not want to live where they were not wanted, Rothstein said.

The UAW decided against this plan. Instead, they contacted someone who was planning an all-Black development and convinced them to make it integrated. It was to be built next to real estate developer David Bohannon’s all-white Sunnyhills community. Banks refused to finance the project because the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) would not back it. The FHA “redlined” neighborhoods such as Sunnyhills by refusing to finance them.

Bohannon tried to prevent integrated development, convincing the Milpitas sanitary district to raise the sewer amount to ten times the original price. Ultimately, Bohannon tired of the fight and the Agua Caliente builder couldn’t afford the delays, so the communities were sold and combined with Sunnyhills to become one of America’s first integrated neighborhoods.

Despite the struggles that went into creating it, Sunnyhills became a wonderful place to live, according to inhabitants such as Donnie Eiland, David Mosqueda, and Carmen Montaño.

“From an early age, you got to get out and live and interact among other races…and that’s what I believe is key to breaking down barriers,” Eiland said. He added that isolation from other races creates fear, and the diversity in Sunnyhills made it a

Photo Courtesy of Carmen Montaño

The Sunnyhills Improvement Association advocated for services to be equally allocated to Sunnyhills.

unique and beautiful community.

Eiland told the story of Dave Volberg, a white Ford worker who reported a racist salesman to the workers’ union. His report led to the national UAW sending a team to Milpitas to investigate discriminatory housing and helped clear the way for the integrated development, according to Volberg’s obituary. “[Volberg] went in one day to apply for a house and…when he was done with his interview, the salesman pulled him aside…and whispered saying, ‘Oh, and by the way, you won’t have to worry about living next to a Negro,’” Eiland said. “[Volberg] goes, ‘Well, why not?’ He says, ‘We work together. We can live together.’ So he reported this guy to the local union.”

Over time, Milpitas has become a very diverse city with a majority-minority population and a culture of inclusion. However, Eiland believes that we can always do more as a city. “I’m big

‘What’s love got to do with it?’: Staff, students define love

By Stephen Huang

What is the definition of love?

Merriam-Webster defines the word as “a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person.”

Ask a neuroscientist and they might say “an exchange of adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin between organisms to encourage reproduction and survival of the species.” Ask a Buddhist and they might say “to accept someone for who they are, were before, and might become.” As you can see, love is all about perspective. This four-letter word has sparked numerous debates throughout history and holds a different meaning for every generation, culture, and religion. But as varied as the definition can be, many agree that love is the single satisfactory answer to human existence.

There are numerous discussions surrounding the topic of love, according to AP psychology and sociology teacher Lauren Byler-Garcia. Byler defined love in various categories. Puppy love usually occurs during the early ages of one’s life, from teenage years to the early twenties. This is also known as having a “crush” and being so infatuated with someone to the point of worship.

Then there’s love based on physical attraction, which varies from person to person based on personal preferences, particularly facial structures and body proportions. Next is companionship love, which is the love one has for their friends and pets. Familial love is the natural connection one shares with their family. Then of course, there is romantic love. “[Romantic love] is when you

have an attachment to another individual and you feel like there’s something missing if they’re not around or you can’t be with them.

But it’s not just needing them to be there. It’s like feeling a part of us is missing if they’re not with you,” Byler said.

However, you are not limited to a single category of love, according to Byler. The feelings we have for someone are usually a combination of multiple categories.

So what do students at MHS think about love? I walked around campus and asked a variety of single and coupled students from different grades and groups about how they define love.

Senior Chloe Phan said, “Love is a concept that everyone can understand at some point [in their lives]. It’s not always when you’re in a relationship with someone you can imagine marrying. It’s a feeling when you feel excitement, tingles inside; sometimes people use the phrase ‘butterflies in your stomach.’”

Junior Kristina Lam said, “It is similar to unconditional positive regard because you can acknowledge flaws and so on, but you still love them anyways… You consciously put an effort to keep that connection going, even when you feel like the sparks are dying. You don’t just stop caring about them.

You just keep putting an effort to build the relationship.”

Freshman Jesus Ramirez said, “To have trust and support in each other. It’s the most important part [of a relationship] because, without trust, you can’t really do much.”

Junior Jada Roper said, “Love is caring for someone as a friend.

It doesn’t have to be necessarily romantic. And it’s not unconditional, but it still lasts no matter what.”

Freshman Karl Alteza said, “Love is something people want to long for. It is something that they want, and I feel like some people should deserve it. But others shouldn’t.”

Senior Ayen Victa said, “Love is a very deep romantic attraction towards someone. But there’s a romanticized version of it, where it’s very pure, and everything is all good.”

Junior Kyle Subido said, “Love is a feeling you can’t put into words.”

To all those who are single during this upcoming Valentine’s Day, learn to love yourself, said Byler. That means going to the gym or wearing fashionable clothes or learning the guitar, right? No. Trying to meet these high standards only makes you a product of society. People would only be attracted to your image and the status, power, or fame you can offer them. Learn to accept yourself for who you are and understand what activities you actually enjoy; then love will come, for loving yourself and loving others are not interchangeable.

As cliche as it sounds, this simple and overused phrase is essentially true, according to Byler.

“If you’ve always had a relationship or you go from relationship to relationship, you might find it doesn’t work because you don’t know what kind of person you are, or what you like because you’ve always tried liking someone else and liking what they like.” Byler said.

on promoting cultural events,” he said. “That’s how you get to know about other races and cultures.”

These days, the racial makeup of Milpitas is much different than it was in the ‘60s: it currently has a 3.66% African American population, halved from 7.2% in 1980, according to the U.S. Census.

However, it should be noted that the difference is 2,691 and 2,715 African Americans, respectively.

“Milpitas, at one time, was affordable, but it’s not affordable anymore unless you make really good money and you have a real good job,” Vice Mayor Carmen Montaño said. “Unfortunately, a lot of our young kids can’t afford to live here anymore. So most of them are moving out to…other states.”

The technological revolution has contributed to gentrification in Milpitas, and as a result, the percentage of African American families has decreased, Montaño explained.

“Historically redlined areas of-

ten exhibit a ‘rent gap’—the difference between the potential value of the property and the current prices of housing…urban housing paired with historical underinvestment and low rent prices make them attractive to young career professionals…looking to capitalize on the gap in property values. In San Francisco, 87% of neighborhoods undergoing gentrification were once redlined as “hazardous,” Harvard Medical School Primary Care Review wrote. Though the article makes no specific mentions of Sunnyhills it does say that gentrification leads to a higher cost of living, stress, and cultural displacement for legacy residents.

In fact, the only way for many of the blue-collar workers and their children to continue living in Milpitas is to pass homes from generation to generation, Montaño said. “Families taking care of families. That’s what’s gonna keep the spirit of Sunnyhills alive,” she said.

Clubs reflect diverse student body

By Archanna Ramakrishnan

“I am Vietnamese American, but I am as equally Vietnamese as I am American, although I was born here, raised here, and primarily speak English. A lot of the cultural clubs help focus that there is a lot of diversity within our cultures. I think that we should all embrace that,” President of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) Heidi Nguyen said in a Zoom interview. Since MHS is a culturally diverse community, the cultural student associations strive to get students in touch with their own roots, Nguyen, a senior, said. In VSA, her prime objective is to include Vietnamese students with backgrounds from all regions of Vietnam, and educate others about the rich Vietnamese culture.

“So at MHS, the community really does bring everyone together because a lot of students might feel a bit isolated from their side of the family,” Nguyen said. “And then they just want to come back together as a family, because who knows how long we’ll be able to fluently communicate with our older generations. And it’s kind of tough when you have that language barrier, which is also another thing that I think that the clubs are teaching us as well.”

Trinh Vu, a member of VSA, discussed her experiences of being involved in the association.

“I’ve learned a lot more about how important it is to have a cultural identity because I don’t want to lose myself,” Vu said. “So having this club makes me feel more connected to my parents in a way, and it gives me a space to

make more friends, and I learn new stuff every week about my culture.”

Vice President of the Desi Union Aayushi Shah explained her club’s objectives and goals for Indian American students at MHS. “We host shows in March every year, where Bollywood teams from all over the Bay Area come perform and show their cultural appreciation,” Shah said. “So this union promotes Indian culture in general because as we know there are many Indian Americans who have trouble figuring out who they are because of their identity—not knowing if they are American or Indian. We make sure to sell the fact that you can be both.”

President of the Latino Student Union (LSU) Katrina Lima-Guan said the cultural union partakes in many events and activities addressing the different cultures in the Hispanic community. Some of the events include the annual multicultural rally in which students from LSU share different types of folkloric dances with other people.

“We try to encourage as many people to join us and participate in events, so that they are aware of what’s happening in the community,” Lima-Guan said. “I do believe we can probably do better, but at the same time, it is hard due to our circumstances such as COVID-19. So I feel like there’s less people who try to learn about our culture, not because they don’t want to, but because of COVID limitations and the short amount of time we spend together during school days.”

6

THE UNION

LIFESTYLE

FEBRUARY 2022

Quitting cold-turkey or turkey altogether: Experiencing going vegan for entire week

By Angelina Barnes

Over the years, many extreme diets and different eating plans have both appeared and reemerged across the internet. With the increase of available substitutes for meat and many different health-promoting products being stocked in stores nationwide, veganism, in particular, has emerged as a popular lifestyle, and for good reason. According to numerous health blogs and cooking channels, veganism can actually promote higher energy and healthier skin. However, many that decide to go vegan already maintain a vegetable-centered diet or rarely indulge in eating animal-produced products. How easy would it be for someone that enjoys many non-vegan products to quit cold turkey?

I decided that I would attempt to only consume vegan products and maintain a vegan lifestyle for approximately a week in order to determine if I could see a noticeable difference in my health. So what exactly can vegans consume when there are so many restrictions? For starters, vegans can’t consume any types of meat or poultry—this includes steak, chicken, etc. Vegans also don’t consume any forms of fish

or seafood, as well as any animal products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. As such, my diet was much more limited compared to my normal, everyday meals. I ended up going shopping with my parents for various types of vegan substitutions for meat, as well as a variety of different vegetables that I could easily meal prep with.

The first couple of days were admittedly harder for me than I expected. My family enjoys numerous types of dairy products, and our fridge and countertops are stocked full of cookies and yogurts. I found that I did feel as though I was missing out on eating various types of meats, such as chicken and steak, that were part of my regular diet. However, after constantly reminding myself of my newly formed diet, I found that the vegan meals were just as filling. The meals that I prepared included vegan tacos, tofu burritos, and many mixed green salads.

A majority of the meals were super simple and required only a few ingredients, most of which included vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals. The ingredients could also be stored in the fridge for long periods of time to be eaten later, which I found par-

ticularly helpful considering I’m not a fan of reheated meals.

Overall, my final thoughts on the one-week trial were primarily those of satisfaction—and excitement to be able to return back to consuming meat and dairy. While I don’t think that I will personally be going vegan long-term, I do now know that the types of food you put into your body can definitely impact it either positively or negatively. Many vegans choose this lifestyle as a result of learning about not only the health-related benefits the meals can bring, but the environmental factors as well.

Reducing the amount of livestock that is farmed and consumed is known to support water conservation, as well as preserving habitats and species.

After this experience, I am definitely a believer in cutting back on dairy and heavy products, even if it’s just for a short period of time.

Dairy can definitely contribute to chest congestion and nasal congestion, and removing some of these products from your everyday diet can definitely improve overall health. However, every single body is unique, and it’s important to consider what works best for your habits and routines.

Tiffany Lieu | THE UNION

Chocolate ranking: Which is best?

By Vania Castro

Thea Seeberger | THE UNION

Happy to be a part of the family, my new dog (Indie), sits with a smile. She is about 3 months old.

Introducing new puppy to household

By Thea Seeberger

With expectations of cuddles and playtime, welcoming a new pet into a home can be very exciting. However, it can also be a bit of an overwhelming and chaotic transition, especially into a previously pet-free household.

In Nov. of 2021, my family friend’s dog had puppies, and once they were able to be rehomed, I was asked if I would be interested in taking one in. After consulting with my family, it was confirmed that we were getting a dog and had only one week to prepare. One week before her arrival, I did a great amount of research and am still continuing to learn more every day. Within the week post-arrival, I had faced many challenges in finding the best ways to approach the introduction of the dog.

Before getting any pet, it is important to have done your research and be prepared with all of the materials necessary. If you’re getting a dog, a good set of starter necessities are food and water bowls, food, a dog bed, a crate or playpen, absorbent house-training pads, and a variety of toys and treats. On top of that, it is import-

ant to puppy-proof your house since puppies are very curious and get themselves into sticky situations. I did this by following the Puppy-Proofing checklist on the American Kennel Club’s Website.

On the first day, Indie was very docile and shy and was trying to get used to the house. I allowed her to get a sense of the area but made my first mistake when I let her sleep in my bed the first few days. As a young pup, so used to being with her litter, it’s best for her to ease off and learn to be independent by getting her own space such as a crate or playpen as suggested by the American Kennel Club. Due to this routine of sleeping in my bed, she got into the habit of having me around and would whimper or bark whenever I was away. Though this is still an ongoing issue as she continues to bark for up to ten minutes before settling down in her own pen, she has been improving. I found that creating happy associations with the crate, such as giving her a treat when she is put into the pen or leaving her favorite toys with her has helped the most.

Apart from crate training, gen-

eral manners and tricks have also been a work in progress. “The younger the pup, the shorter the attention span. Puppy training lessons should be short, fun, and supplemented with many opportunities for play,” said dog trainer, Victoria Schade, in the article “Puppy Training 101: Your Guide to Mastering Basic Puppy Training.” From my experiences, using high reward treats is a good way to engage the puppy, as well as raising her in an environment where she feels safe and there are few distractions. I found some success, especially when it comes to managing biting for when she’s teething by redirecting her with a chew toy and giving her a treat after she has calmed down.

While only having her for a week, I have learned so much about her personality, and she has quickly grown to be part of my family.

She’s now very active, oftentimes running around and wanting to play fetch. Overall, the first week was a journey for both of us. With only a few setbacks along the way, I found it to be a fairly smooth transition, and I’m excited to see my little girl continue to grow up.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Like every year, it is common for people to give chocolate to their significant others. Chocolates are very versatile and can be enjoyed at any time of the year, whether you’re alone or with a significant other. With the wide range of chocolates available, here is a list narrowing down the best ones you could give to your loved ones. #1: Dark chocolate Dark chocolate is the crème de la crème of chocolate. It has a rich taste that isn’t sickeningly sweet.

If you know that your significant other prefers dark chocolate, then here are some of my top choices: Godiva Dark Chocolate: This chocolate is so smooth and balanced in both richness and sweetness. It’s definitely a great choice, and it’s sure to make your significant other swoon.

Lindor 60% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Truffle: Just a tad bit stronger than their regular dark chocolate, this chocolate truffle has a sweet and soft center filled with ganache that melts in the mouth. #2: Milk chocolate Milk chocolate is easily a crowd favorite. It’s creamy and sweet, perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day. The only reason it isn’t at the top of this list is because it’s a little too sweet. If your partner has a sweet tooth, here are some chocolate suggestions: Ferrero Rocher: If someone turned Nutella into a ball of chocolate, it would be Ferrero Rocher.

It has multiple delectable layers— the hazelnut-encrusted shell, wafer layer, smooth chocolate, and one whole hazelnut in the center.

Hershey’s Kisses: You can never go wrong with this classic choice.

They’re bite-sized, perfect for gifting, and the name is even perfect for the occasion! #3: Caramel-filled chocolate Chocolate and caramel are undeniably a good combination, es-

pecially sea salt caramel since the saltiness complements chocolate really well. We can find this combo almost everywhere, from the syrup we drizzle over ice cream, to cake flavors, and even as a popcorn flavor.

Ghirardelli Squares (Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel): These chocolate squares are a match made in heaven. Ghirardelli doesn’t skimp out on the caramel, either, so the chocolate doesn’t overpower its perfect salty taste. #4: Fruit center chocolate Chocolates and fruits pair well with each other too; the chocolate balances the fruit’s tart flavor, while the fruit balances the sweetness that chocolates have. Some chocolatiers have taken this combination and condensed it into chocolate form: See’s Candies Dark Raspberry Cream: Raspberries and chocolate are a good pair not only in chocolate but in various other desserts.

What makes this even better is that the shell is made of dark chocolate.

Any coconut-filled chocolate: Coconut with chocolate might be a hit or miss with some people, but it still makes for a pleasing fusion of flavors. #5: White chocolate White chocolate is at the very bottom since it tends to be much sweeter than any of the items on this list. However, a handful of people do like it, and there are a precious few delicious white chocolate selections. So if your partner is one of a kind, consider these: Lindor Matcha White Chocolate Truffles: These truffles have a white chocolate shell and a delicious matcha filling. Adding matcha to white chocolate is definitely a Megamind move.

Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme: Cookies and cream will forever be an amazing flavor for any dessert, and Hershey’s combines this flavor into a delicious bar of chocolate.

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Tech-savvy twins tackle video game develo

By Ryan Teoh

MHS senior twins, Mihir and Ishaan Kale, recently published their own 3D platforming game, “Tile Runner,” on Steam to develop their computer science skills and create something for people to enjoy.

The brothers knew they wanted to do something unique in the summer between junior and senior year, so they decided that with the skills they’ve obtained over the years–programming and learning software development–they might as well invest them into creating something they spend so much time playing: video games.

With that inspiration, they went on to create “Tile Runner,” Ishaan said.

They knew that they couldn’t create a full large-scale, graphically intense multiplayer game, as they didn’t have the capabilities to do so both technically and financially. Instead, they settled on a single-player parkour game, which people could still enjoy, but required much less expertise and knowledge to make.

“It’s a 10-level game with increasing difficulty,” Mihir said. “Each level has its own unique theme. For example, the first level is straightforward, but from the second level on, it adds mechanics like fast reaction, where you need to take in what

you see and make movements according to that. Three adds verticality, and so on.”

One level might have a lava theme, another an ice theme. Except the last few levels, which combine previous themes, and are quite challenging, he hasn’t actually beaten the last few levels, Ishaan said.

Taking inspiration from simple yet challenging games like “Flappy Bird” and “Geometry Dash,” the brothers wanted to build on those concepts of constant movement, but take them into the 3D space. In “Tile Runner,” players can go wherever they want, but have to keep moving forward, Ishaan explained.

“With the first level, we just played around with whatever we wanted, and decided that simple rectangles are the way to go,” Ishaan said. “After that, we just duplicated each level and played with what’s possible, and then decided, okay this could be interesting.”

They started off making the character logic, including how fast the player accelerates downward and how fast it goes forward, Mihir said. Afterwards, they took the game to a play area to test the mechanics and add interactions between objects. Once they recorded interactions, they built levels around the physics and

VANIA CASTRO | THE UNION

‘Mazing ‘Minecraft’ minigame

By Vyomi Seth

Seniors Kevin Nguyen and Aarsh Patel have been working since April 2020 on developing “Blockblade,” a dungeon crawler game built within Mojang’s “Minecraft.”

Nguyen describes the game as a random dungeon runner system, where a new layout spawns every time you run through a dungeon. Throughout the dungeon, one plays as different classes inspired by Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), such as bards, sorcerers, and warlocks. The game can be played solo or in a group of two through four and lasts about 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Various monsters and bosses randomly spawn throughout the dungeon.

“This whole idea was essentially a clash between “Minecraft” and D&D. We wanted to take the fighting aspects of D&D and make that more intense, and we found that “Minecraft” was a great way to simulate that kind of environment,” Patel said in an interview. Patel said he was inspired by a game called “Enter the Dungeon,” and suggested the idea to Nguyen.

Despite being hosted by “Minecraft,” everything in the game is custom-made using plug-ins and extensions, Patel said. All the builds and layouts of the dungeon are made by Nguyen, Patel added. Initially, the idea was a multiplayer dungeon crawler. They decided to incorporate elements from a game which they shared passion for, Dungeons & Dragons, Patel said.

“With “Minecraft,” there is an actual foundation and they have certain things implemented into the game already. We originally worked with in-game command blocks ... we moved to plug-ins because there were some lag problems,” Nguyen said.

He explained that the struggles with creating a new game from scratch are that you have to create a new user interface, textures, physics, and much more. “Working with “Minecraft,” there’s already a certain amount of mobs in the game and they are already pre-coded. We can modify the values of the mobs, like how much damage they do, how fast they are, how many coins they drop, and such,” he added.

Patel added that all of the code is written in Java, a programming language.

The two friends have different roles in the production of the game; Patel is the head programmer and Nguyen is the chief

executive. “I give lots of props to Aarsh, he is constantly suffering, trying to figure out all the code,” Nguyen said.

Patel might continue game development as a hobby in the future, but currently, he hopes to be a doctor, he said. Nguyen, on the other hand, wants to explore game development as a future career, he said.

“Actually, my entire life, I’ve always been a game developer, not necessarily video games,” Nguyen said. “In my freshman year, I created a board game 3D printing things that I modeled myself and designing cards using Photoshop. So I have experience with game-making.”

Patel also considered his experience working on this game as meaningful. “I learned a lot of Java which can be applied to real life. I was grateful. The fact that I spent a great time with the people I love around me creating games,” he said.

So is the game playable? “We have a working dungeon system right now, and an arsenal of weapons, but it’s not completely playable,” Patel said.

“We have an idea in mind, and we work towards the idea and when we actually reach that conclusion, there’s always a new idea,” added Nguyen. They hope to one day complete and publish their unique game, whether in months or even years.

VYOMI SETH | THE UNION Co-creators of the minigame “Blockblade” Aarsh Patel (Left) and Kevin Ngyuen (Right) pose for a picture in front of the MHS theatre.

Beating the clock: Learning to speedrun in 48 hours

By Brian Dinh

Speedrunning is the act of trying to complete a game as fast as possible by any means necessary. As a challenge, I wanted to try my hand at learning speedrunning, because I usually take my time in games and thought it would be a good change of pace. I decided to speedrun the 2018 game “Hades,” for which a typical run takes around 30 minutes, and the current best time is five minutes and 16 seconds. Ultimately, my end goal would be to get a run that was under 10 minutes, and as an extra hurdle, I gave myself only 48 hours to finish my challenge.

To preface, “Hades” is an action game in which the player goes through various dungeons to reach the surface, receiving random power-ups as the game progresses. In addition to having unknown monsters in each room, “Hades” involves a decent amount of luck in completing the game quickly, but a majority of the speed comes down to player execution, which involves precise aim and split-second decision making.

Before I started learning about speedrunning this game, I decided to do a preliminary run to see how I was currently doing. I did break my own previous time, finishing in 19 minutes and 12 seconds, but I knew that it would take some effort to finish under 10 minutes. Afterwards, I started to learn more about how to optimize my attempts through various internet guides. Personally, I found that the “Hades” speedrunning community had many resources to draw from and learn about the general strategies such as video guides and reference books, making it much easier to get started with speedrunning the game properly.

After about five attempts using the strategy I learned from the guide, I final-

ly got my time down to fifteen minutes. At this point, I came to the conclusion that I would have to practice my routes and aim, as I lost crucial seconds just because I misclicked at an enemy or took too long to locate one. Also, my fingers were killing me. After spending two hours on learning theory and practicing how to use my power-ups more efficiently, I embarked on another ten runs, which whittled my time down to 12 minutes and 46 seconds by the end of day one.

On the second day, I tried out three more runs in the morning and improved my time by only a few seconds, which disappointed me, because I thought I would be able to hit 11 minutes pretty easily. My times stagnated even more as I did more runs, as it took me nine more runs until I could finally break the 11 minute barrier, which left me with only six more hours to complete my challenge. Although I was a bit discouraged at that point and started to get a bit more sore in my forearms, I decided to take an hour break and attempt more runs until I either felt too much pain or was too tired. Luckily enough, after five botched runs, I finally got what I wanted: a run that only took nine minutes and 58 seconds. I know that it was basically just meeting the minimum goal I set for myself, but it felt deeply satisfying to achieve a personal best.

After completing my goal, I ran two more runs before the time limit kicked in and my challenge was over. I did not break my record, but I was still consistent enough to get in the lower 10 minute range. Overall, I found the experience of speedrunning to be fun because it forced me to rack my brain around how to break the game as much as possible to complete it in ways the developers would otherwise not have thought of.

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opment, create free 3D platformer for kicks Healer stereotype hurts women

By Sharon Talaia

RYAN TEOH | THE UNION

Above is the title screen of the Kale twins’ free game, “Tile Runner,” launched in Sept. 2021.

various interactions the player has with objects, like lava pits and platforms, he added.

As for the development timeline, the brothers started in June, and finished in mid-August. The game was published in September, as they had to fill out the application for the Steam platform to approve their game, Ishaan said.

They chose Steam as it is one of the most popular game store platforms on PC, and Steam automatically advertises your game for you, so they didn’t have to do it themselves, Ishaan added.

“We used Unity Game Engine and C# for the scripts,” Mihir said. “Most of it was just placing blocks, but for character logic, transition between menus, dying and all the other visuals were through coding

scripts. That’s all there is to it.”

The hardest challenge they faced was implementing the character death sequence. They had to try multiple things before coming up with a workaround solution, which made the script check twice for the character’s death before it would work properly, Ishaan said.

In the future, the two look to pursue careers in game development, and are studying computer science in college.

While they don’t foresee themselves continuing work on “Tile Runner,” they want to contribute to larger projects for AAA game studios.

“I would love to work at Riot so I can get the GunBuddy [Valorant cosmetic]. Or just any game that’s fun, whatever that might be,” Mihir said.

The great majority of the gaming community, especially ones involved with first-person shooter games, has heard of the healer main gamer girl trope. This stereotype comes from the trend of female gamers specializing in a healing and support role in first-person shooters, and this phenomenon occurs for a variety of reasons, many of which unfortunately stem from gender stereotypes.

If a girl plays a healer role often, sooner or later she will hear, “Haha, of course the e-girl goes support … so, do you have a boyfriend?” If she chooses to play another role, the comments shift to, “Go back to the kitchen!” and other insults. This mindset and the aggressive statements from typically male gamers often cause girls to start playing support from the very moment they start playing a video game or to end up in the healer role regardless of an initial desire to be a team player. The situation is one that ends up with female gamers receiving the short end of the stick no matter what they choose to do: going support only builds and fortifies that stereotype but choosing another class often causes blame and insults to be hurled your way.

There is no easy way to address such an issue, but it is very important for all gamers to be aware of and acknowledge this stereotype and phenomenon as well

as its causes. This issue is often brushed off by males in the gaming community because of how they benefit and contribute to this problem. Often, you’re given an excuse like, “Just don’t turn on your microphone, so they can’t know you’re a girl.”

This is a flimsy excuse for these often team and coordination-based games.

So what can be done about such a rampant problem? Many gamers who, by no means consider themselves to be sexist, unknowingly or subconsciously exacerbate and feed into this stereotype. So, it is obviously not as simple as telling people to stop being sexist. Furthermore, pushing female gamers out of support classes is certainly not the right way to go about it either.

One of the best ways people can help address this issue is remembering what video games are all about: having fun. If you encounter people having fun in a video game—regardless of their gender, whether or not they are playing the best character, or if they are playing their character optimally—do not berate them for not meeting your standards or catering to your needs.

If team composition is truly an issue and defeat is certain, consider weighing the options of doing a role change yourself. An unfortunate amount of gamers have yet to learn that not being toxic and salty goes a long way, so simply keeping that in mind will point you in the right direction.

Indie games that will steal your heart

By Vyomi Seth

ANANNYA BHUSKAT | THE UNION

FARDIN HAQUE | THE UNION

Video games have entertained people for decades, from early arcade games to today’s lifelike role-playing games. Yet, there is a charm that smaller-produced games deliver that even companies with millions of dollars more in funding simply can’t match. All of the games below cost from zero to $20, and in my opinion, provide a better experience than many other higher-priced games. Here are five indie games from various genres that you should try.

Oneshot - For those that enjoyed “Undertale,” “Oneshot” delves further into meta, self-referencing aspects; at some points, the game inserts elements and files into your computer that really take the experience to the next level. This adventure-puzzle game follows the charming Niko, a small cat-like child who is emphasized as “not a cat,” and you play as a separate entity that guides Niko. Niko wakes up in a strange world and meets eccentric characters in order to restore light to the world and return home. The game is packed with heart-wrenching moments, beautiful art cutscenes, and the metafictional features blew me away. This clever game deserves so much more acclaim.

Hotline Miami - This game is an exciting top-down shooter game that follows a cast of mysterious murdering psychopaths. Set in an alternate 1989 Miami, you will play a mysterious antihero on a deadly spree against the dark underworld at the command of voices on your answering machine. What makes this game so unique is the stunning ‘80s vaporwave aesthetic of the setting, characterized by psychedelic cutscenes, colorful pixel-art, and an awesome soundtrack. Gameplay requires fighting with anything you can get your hands on and quick wit, if you want to escape with your life and find your brutal backstory. The surrealistic storytelling and violent plot may not be for everyone, but it is a thrilling experience. If you’re into gory shooters “Hotline Miami” will quench your thirst for blood.

Stardew Valley - Growing in popularity,

“Stardew Valley” was inspired by “Harvest Moon,” a Nintendo game from the ‘90s, and was developed solely by Eric Barone.

It is an adorable yet engaging game in which you play as a new farmer in your town. However, don’t underestimate it as just a simple farming simulator. You can spend your days in dangerous mines, raising animals, designing your farm, making friends, collecting architects, courting and dating, beginning a family, and much more. It is jam-packed with Easter eggs, and as you play, more and more options, plot points, and missions are unlocked.

There is so much to explore and Barone brings this fictional town to life with lovable characters and a feel-good story. Recent updates allow you to create a farm with your friends. If you like games like “Terraria,” “Minecraft,” and “Animal Crossing,” “Stardew Valley” will be your new favorite.

Helltaker - You, a tuxedo-clad young man, find yourself in Hell. In order to get out, you have to make it through a series of puzzles that involve pushing boxes, lasers, and skeleton keys. There are also surprisingly hard boss fights that require quick reflexes. On the bright side, on each level, you’re up against a unique, endearing demon girl, who somewhat tries to help you. Beat the level and say the right things, and she’s on your side. This game is short, sweet, and free to play on Steam.

Just for the hot demon babes, you should give “Helltaker” a stab.

Celeste - A pixel platformer, “Celeste” follows the journey of Madeline, a peppy young woman who is trying to make her way across Mount Celeste. This treacherous journey, along with difficult platform exploration, contains heartfelt scenes delving into Madeline’s personal obstacles and inner demons. The art is delightful, and the player can easily empathize with her struggles. The gameplay, while it may be frustrating at times, is highly rewarding. It is also very popular in the speedrunning community. “Celeste” is yet another game that executes the “finding your way back home” trope beautifully.

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SONG REVIEWS

COURTESY OF PARLOPHONE

Guy-Manuel de Hommem-Christo (left) and Thomas Bangalter (right) pose for a photoshoot for “Homework.”

‘Homework’ sounds funky fresh 25 years later; revolutionary for EDM RATING: 4 out of 5

to the hard-hitting, squealing synths based off of DJ Jeff Mills of “Rollin’ and Scratchin”—the main

By Brian Dinh aspect that ties all these tracks together is Daft Punk’s style of foDaft Punk, a French electronic cusing on one or two elements in a music duo featuring Guy-Manuel track and expanding on them with de Homem-Christo and Thomas various instruments to produce a Bangalter, had its 25th anniversa- bona fide club banger. By starting ry for their debut album “Home- out with only a few elements, Daft work” on Jan. 20. The duo was Punk makes each change, whethcreated in Paris, France, where er it be another layer of bass or Homem-Christo and Bangalter gritty rising pitches, noticeable to met in secondary school as class- the listener, creating tension bemates. The duo started experi- fore the inevitably satisfying beat menting with electronic music drop.

Personally, the highlight of and production after they left the “Homework” is “Phœnix,” rock band Darlin’, and they a booming electronic dance found a manager for their and funk track that really group in 1995. After a record highlights the effectiveness label bidding war, the duo of Daft Punk’s minimalist signed to Virgin Records in MUSIC formula. Starting off with 1996 after emphasizing that REVIEW only a 4/4 time drum beat, they wanted to have free the track is built off of Daft creative control and ownership of their master recordings as part of Punk adding on various instrumentals to the beat, which, instead their deal.

Daft Punk’s pure focus on con- of overwhelming the listener, cretrol and trailblazing is evident in ate an even more rhythmic listenthe composition of “Homework,” ing environment. The intrinsicalconsisting of sparse yet catchy ly simple basis of the track helps house music, which was a sharp the bass and synthesizers ease one turn from the mainstream, elec- in. Another hard-hitting track is tropop hits of the time. Although “Alive,” which is based around the each track has its own themes that concept of a heartbeat and utilizes Daft Punk builds on—from the hard-hitting beat drops and laser acid funk influenced “Da Funk” sounds to create a suffocating yet

¯

soothing intensity.

Although the album has its highlights, it is not something to listen to in a single sitting. Even though the album sits at only 73 minutes and 57 seconds, the tracks do not always mesh together well, making it difficult to not skip some songs altogether. The lack of cohesiveness makes the second half of the album a bit of a slog to listen to, with tracks like “Oh Yeah” and “Teachers” becoming more of a nuisance than a joy due to how different they are from the tracks before it.

Despite these flaws, “Homework” was an influential album for its innovation in its brutalist sound, with its legacy showing in artists from Illenium to Charli XCX. In addition, the production of the album, based primarily in Daft Punk’s own apartment, helped validate that home production was a valid alternative in an era where a studio was seen as paramount for success. Ultimately, “Homework” is aptly named, because it has served as a definitive blueprint for the basis of modern electronic dance music with its innovative, futuristic sound. It still holds up today as a great album as well, as its catchy tracks and beat drops lull the listener into a trance.

‘Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts’ reunites Wizarding World, magical RATING: 4 out of 5

few clips of her speaking in a 2019 interview were shown. It seemed that the few cast members who

By Priya Thoren did speak about Rowling did so sparingly, most likely to avoid getNov. 14, 2021, was the 20th an- ting into a dispute. niversary of the release of the The reunion was rich in behind first movie in the Harry Potter the scenes content and inside series—“Harry Potter and the looks into the cast’s experience Philosopher’s Stone.” With a while working on the set of Harry franchise so large, worth approx- Potter for 10 years. Radcliffe and imately $25 billion according to Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix CNBC, it’s no surprise that fans Lestrange) shared a humorous around the world were excited to moment over a letter Radcliffe celebrate this milestone in the se- had given her during the filming ries. of the series. In the letter, Rad‘Harry Potter 20th Annicliffe professed his love for versary: Return to Hogwarts’ Carter and expressed his premiered on HBO Max at disappointment that he was midnight on Jan. 1, 2022. not born ten years earlier, The one hour and 45 minand therefore had no chance T.V. ute program features the reher.

REVIEW with turn of several Harry Potter Aside from fun reminisccast members, including Daniel ing, the cast also shared their Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma deeper feelings on the long-term Watson (Hermione Granger), filming and its effects on their and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley). mental health. Watson in particuChris Colombus, director of the lar addressed why she almost quit first two movies in the series, was filming Harry Potter as she spoke also present, along with director with Grint. Watson talked about Alfonso Cuarón, who took over di- feeling lonely, and she and Grint recting the remaining six movies both agreed that there was a point when Columbus left. Controver- where they felt fear; Harry Potter sial author J.K. Rowling, who has was turning into a forever thing. tweeted anti-transgender sen- Luckily, Watson eventually found timents multiple times, was not comfort in the fans’ support and present in the reunion, although a her ability to rely on her co-stars.

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Although the quality of the production was good overall, there were a couple of editing errors that the producers must have skimmed over. For one, a throwback photo of Emma Watson that was included was of Emma, but not the correct one—it was of fellow actress Emma Roberts. The photo featured young Roberts wearing a pair of Minnie Mouse ears, and fans were quick to realize that it was not the Harry Potter actress. Throughout the production, the actors’ names were displayed at the bottom of the screen. Two of those names were mixed up, and they belonged to identical twin brothers Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley).

Oliver posted a good-natured Instagram post addressing the situation, with a caption stating “I guess after all those pranks over the years somebody decided to get their revenge.”

As a huge fan of Harry Potter, I was relatively pleased with the reunion. Personally, I would’ve liked to see more interactions with the whole cast together rather than in small groups. However, it was still enjoyable to watch, and I would recommend it to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the movies.

FINGERS CROSSED

by Lauren Spencer Smith

PUSHIN P by Gunna, ft. Future & Young Thug

“The song has smooth vocals highlighting her hurt emotions … good for any Olivia Rodrigo fans out there.”

-Sharon Talaia

“Gunna contributes no substance and is heavily carried

by Young Thug for mere mediocrity.”

WE DON’T TALK ABOUT BRUNO by Lin-Manuel Miranda

MAN ON THE MOON

by Alan Walker and Benjamin Ingrosso

“A catchy, amazingly composed hit. The harmonies and ad libs are so fun to listen to. ” -Vania Castro

“An attempted upbeat melody about overcoming the past falls short and ends up sounding more dry than hopeful.”

-Brian Dinh

LOUNGE THOUGHTS

by Enjoy

J’S LULLABY by Delaney Bailey

CHRISTMAS TREE

by V

“A creative track featuring funky tiki tunes and sound effects with quiet husky vocals over it, from Wyatt Shears of The Garden.”

-Vyomi Seth

“Kind of boring to be honest, but maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention.

Very slow.”

“A sweet song complete with smooth vocals and soft acoustics. V did very well considering his voice is usually low.”

-Arsh Ali

- Vania Castro

WON’T STAND DOWN

by Muse

MY UNIVERSE by Coldplay and BTS

LOVE IS SELFISH

by Jack White

“Guitar and drums are unoriginal and grating to the ear, but the catch chorus retains classic dramatic Muse elements.”

“The Korean verse is very melodic and catchy, as is the whole song overall— the way they blend the two languages is also very seamless.”

-Vyomi Seth

- Priya Thoren

“Jack White’s new single is not as experimental as his usual independent projects, very mellow acoustic ballad and folksy White Stripes reminiscent.”

-Vyomi Seth

-Brian Dinh

WORKING FOR THE KNIFE by Mitski

“Mitski has a superb voice, but ‘Working for the Knife’ brings a strange vibe with the acoustic guitar strumming in the background.”

-Sharon Talaia

26 by Lauv

“The chorus and melody are soothing, synths a good touch.

The vocals blend together and create a mellowing effect. ” -Vania Castro

RATING KEY PETER PARKER MILES MORALES SPIDER-GWEN STACY EDDIE BROCK PETER PORKER

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‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ swings to new heights RATING: 5 out of 5

Parker asks Dr. Strange if some people can still remember him, such as his girlfriend, best friend,

By Fardin Haque and aunt, and Dr. Strange tries to meet his needs, but the spell “Spider-Man: No Way Home” becomes unstable and causes an was released on Dec. 17, 2021 with odd effect to happen. Since Parkfans eager to witness the end of er tampered with the spell, it now Marvel’s Spider-Man trilogy. The allows other villains to come in two-and-a-half-hour-long movie from other universes. Spider-Man grossed an astounding $1.777 bil- exists in other universes as well lion in sales as of Feb. 4, 2022. where they fight their own villains, The movie begins with a flash- but due to this spell, they now all back to the ending of the previous begin to enter this universe. Vilmovie, “Spider-Man: Far from lains like Doc Oc, the Green GobHome,” in which Spider-Man’s lin, Sandman, and Electro, just real identity was revealed to to name a few, have come be Peter Parker. Now that back, and Spider-Man has the world knows he is this to fight them all. The movie teenage boy who allegedprogresses with his battle bely killed the hero Mysterio, these villains and his MOVIE tween his life becomes immensely internal struggles.

REVIEW stressful. With an ongoing Tom Holland playing Spiproblem with the FBI and every- der-Man once again does an accuone trying to get answers as to rate representation of a teenage why he allegedly killed Mysterio, kid playing a superhero and deals Parker turns to Dr. Strange. He with issues in a way a adolescent asks him if he can cast a spell to re- would. Many have speculated that verse the people from knowing his if Peter Parker just did not tamper real identity. Dr. Strange agrees to with the spell, the movie would cast this spell, but Parker tampers be over. However, with Holland’s with the spell and things begin to teenage acting, he was able to turn for the worse. shine in his childish acting.

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Other large actors also made a return to play the crucial villains in this movie. The directors made their best effort to push for these actors to come back such as Willem Dafoe to play the Green Goblin, Alfred Molina for the Doc Ock, and Jamie Foxx for the Electro.

Especially for the Green Goblin, the crew felt no one else could play him besides Dafoe, according to director Jon Watts. Watching all these new characters come back to the spotlight was very reminiscing for me and seeing the same faces from the past Spider-Man movies made the connection for Spider-Man fans even deeper in my opinion.

Personally, I greatly enjoyed the movie and believe it was a very fitting way to end the Spider-Man trilogy in this specific universe.

Compared to other Marvel movies, this film did not require all that much background to comprehend and keep up with the plot.

Overall, the movie was a great watch, and I would recommend it to anyone that is even interested into entering the Marvel universe as it offers a spectacle for anyone who is into plot and action.

COURTESY OF UMG RECORDINGS

The Weeknd (Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) is locked on to a spinning wheel in the music video for “Sacrifice.”

‘Dawn FM’ floats strong themes but presents bland songs RATING: 2 out of 5

pressed me.

“Sacrifice” sat slightly better with me, starting off with a beat

By Sharon Talaia reminiscent of Daft Punk. The chorus falls a bit flat though—it is “Dawn FM,” the fifth studio alsimple and emphasizes the name bum released by award-winning of the song—but otherwise it’s artist The Weeknd on Jan. 7, conunremarkable. The song starts sists of sixteen tracks—many of strong and has good verses, but which have an ‘80s synthwave the chorus could do a lot more beat and feel to them. The album to enhance the song. Following starts with the title track which is “Sacrifice,” “A Tale By Quincy” narrated by Jim Carrey. The track gave me really mixed feelings. The sets the stage that the album is song starts with a bit of an ‘80s being played by a radio station, space theme but then becomes a Dawn FM, and Jim Carrey does a monologue from Quincy Jones. I disc jockey voice, charismatic and understand that this song is like low, after a few lines by The “Dawn FM” in the sense that Weeknd. The track certainly is not meant to be listened sets the tone for the album, to at the club or in a playlist, though Jim Carrey’s words but it is meant to add to the about Dawn FM gave me MUSIC whole radio station theme of heavy radical Christian gosREVIEW the album, like Quincy Jones pel radio vibes. Because of is some sort of guest speaker that reason, I found the song to be talking about his life and past exstrange and definitely not a piece periences. The short bit of spoken meant to be listened to casually. word felt like the start of a music The songs “Gasoline” and “How video that would have been cut Do I Make You Love Me?” follow out of the actual audio of a song; Jim Carrey’s unnerving introit did not strike me as something duction with the Weeknd’s imthat needed its whole own track. pressive vocals and more of the This track should have been add‘80s synthwave heard at the very ed to another song or cut altogethbeginning of “Dawn FM.” The er from the album.

Weeknd’s singing voice combined “Out of Time” and “Here We with the beats and rhythm make Go… Again” has slightly better for two rather “meh” songs. Neibeats and rhythm, but even with ther does anything amazing with the vocals from Tyler, The Crethe synthwave beats incorporated ator in “Here We Go… Again,” both into them—it sounded like a stesongs failed to disguise themreotypical ‘80s tune with nothing selves from what I heard so far. much added on or explored by the I had a more positive reception artists. The Weeknd’s silky voice of the two following songs “Best is basically all that both songs reFriends” and “Is There Someone ally have going for them. I felt the Else?” The latter song has a catchy same about the next song, “Take beat, and I would actually listen to My Breath.” Although the songs it in my free time. I liked “Is There have different beats, none of them Someone Else?” for the lyrics. The really stood out to me nor imsong struck me as a rather diplo-

¯

matic and calm response to learning of a partner’s possible infidelity, and I have never really heard such a take on a commonly sungabout topic.

“Every Angel is Terrifying” is once again a radio-theme insert rather than a song. After a promising portion of synthwave in the beginning, I was once again assaulted by Jim Carrey’s Evangelical Christian talk radio, though the song seems to become more like a radio ad by the end of it.

Once again, here is another song presented more for thematic reasons rather than listening purposes, an element in this album I dislike. “Don’t Break My Heart” follows this track, and another song joins the mediocrity pile with “Take My Breath.”

The next songs “I Heard You’re Married” and “Less Than Zero” both had lackluster qualities. “I Heard You’re Married” features Lil Wayne with his autotune on max which sounded grating to my ears, and “Less Than Zero” seemed like it was trying to be a more somber song with an upbeat tune but misses the mark. Lastly, the album closed with yet another theme-only piece called “Phantom Regret by Jim,” or, as I like to call it, radical radio part three special edition: existentialism.

Overall, I found “Dawn FM” to be much more heavy on themes and symbolism rather than good tunes. I definitely wouldn’t add the whole album to my playlist, but some songs are decent enough to make the cut. Perhaps the album would strike a chord with the more religious or those struggling or debating with their sense of purpose, but it did not make a powerful impression on me.

THE UNION

13

‘Scream’ (2022) stays scary with fun throwbacks RATING: 4.5 out of 5

cause of how manipulative she was, or the way they played the movie while reacting to the scene

By Tolay-Jha Flowers of it, and how they ended the movie with Gale not being the person While many movies were re- to report on the situation that leased in Jan. 2022, “Scream” de- happened for once.

Something I didn’t enjoy that cided to make a comeback and redeem itself from the last “Scream” much was how the plot seemed movie that was made in 2011. In- staged. The part where the killers stead of changing the storyline were found and identified seemed like remakes usually do, this rushed, like filler content added movie brought the legends from in just to make up the movie time. the original scream and their kids But it wasn’t needed because it together to create something sim- didn’t make sense. Also, while I ilar to the original version which feel that bringing back the origmade it very interesting and very inal cast was a good idea, at the funny to watch. However, it was same time, this movie shows that a remake, meaning it had its ups they were running out of ideas and just needed to end the and downs. series of “Scream” movies.

One thing I enjoyed about Their portrayal that Gen-Z is the movie was the fact that useless and that their minds they brought some of the MOVIE are too distracted seemed too cast from the others but also REVIEW stereotypical, which made featured the children of the the younger cast seem inoriginal cast that end up experiencing what they did as well. competent. Something they could I loved the dramatic pauses that improve is instead of making the happened throughout the mov- movie very long, maybe shorten it ie which gave me an adrenaline but add more details; if they have rush and made it more convincing to make it long, don’t have some to watch, like when the cop’s son parts be at a stand-still.

With all the ups and downs that didn’t notice many things being wrong in his house. Overall, it was the movie had, I wouldn’t mind an incredible movie to see and watching it again and even sugwith all the new cast members, it gesting it to others. People that made it better to where you didn’t are into the “Scream” series would have to see too many familiar fac- enjoy it a lot, but others might not es. I also loved the part where the understand it. I would say that it’s killers lure their victims into the not worth the hype and that it’s house where everything started just a movie that came out and if in somewhat the same way as the you are bored and want to watch original but added twists, like the something interesting, this would girl getting her face burned be- be a movie to watch.



Ranking top reality dating shows on Netflix

By Thea Seeberger

With Valentine’s Day coming up, love is in the air but also on our screens. If you don’t have a date, what better way to spend the special day than to hop on Netflix and watch others test their luck at dating. In recent years, Netflix has released more than enough reality dating series for its audience, which are often so bad that they’re entertaining and a guilty pleasure to many.

dating show “The Bachelor” but more real, including all the awkwardness you would expect in a real life first date, giving it its own wholesome touch.

“Too Hot to Handle” - Focusing on creating meaningful connections, a group of attractive young adults are together on an island where they aren’t allowed to kiss or be intimate with each other.

This show is definitely worth a binge watch as it gets pretty addictive and is filled with lots of interesting drama which really drew “Sexy Beasts” - This seme in. Oftentimes people on ries takes blind dates to a the show tend to over exaggernew level as everyone is ate and make it feel as though in full makeup and prosthetics making them ap- TV-SERIES they are just playing characters pear as various animals, REVIEW but ultimately just adds to the fun if you don’t mind the lack of demons, and mythological creatures. Overall, the concept realism. of this show is incredibly novel “Love on the Spectrum” - This and unique, but I noticed that the guests on the show lose sight of Netflix Original follows a group the purpose of the makeup they of young adults, who are all on the wear. Despite the show only be- autism spectrum, on their search ing about personality, as physical of love within the dating world. It appearance is almost completely is definitely the most wholesome ruled out, they still find ways to of these reality series because it make it about appearance and focuses on genuine connection, not actual connections by picking setting it apart from other dating people based on their body or how shows which tend to only priorithey think they would look based tize the sexual aspects of dating. on factors such as voice. On top of It’s an overall very lighthearted that it’s very corny, laughable, and show and very cute to watch. seems staged at times, but definite “Love is Blind” - This is a very props to the makeup artists on the popular series, with a new season set. coming out Feb. 11, where people “Dating Around” - A common try to create romantic connectrend in dating shows is presented tions without seeing each othin this series where dating turns er face-to-face. I find this series into a game. One person goes on cringey and people often rush into a series of dates, and in the end, things—saying they’re in love afchooses who they would like to ter knowing each other for one to move forward with. This series two days, despite not even seeing definitely has the most diverse their faces. Apart from that, it is a casting, often showing represen- good concept which really reveals tation of various races, sexual ori- the true colors of the people inentations, and personalities. The volved and shows how important concept is similar to the popular communication is.

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THE UNION

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 2022

Softball star Le fields her way to Duke University

By Stephen Huang

Photo Courtesy of Yael Shpits

The girls volleyball team forms a circle as a type of prayer before their match to ensure them good luck.

Athletes use superstitions, mental preparation before matches

By Tolay-Jha Flowers

Sports are a big part of MHS culture, and with many amazing athletes, people start to wonder how these athletes are able to stay calm before and throughout a game.

Many wonder “Why does he tie his shoe that?” or “Why does she always wear one sock higher than the other?” In this article, I took the liberty of asking three athletes what they do for good luck to get into their gameday mindset.

An athlete like Jacob Erickson, a football player, does not really believe in superstitions but has a strategy of his own that works for his mental state and motivation.

“For me, I just listen to the stuff that gets me hyped up,” Erickson said in an interview. “I think positive thoughts like that I’m gonna do good.”

When he’s not in the mindset he needs to be, he thinks about everything that he has been told that motivates him, Erickson said.

Erickson thinks that even though his strategy is all in his mind, he believes as long as you put your mind to something and work with the people around you, you should

be able to play and not lose sight, he said.

“If you’re going to do a sport and something’s not on your mind about it or you’re debating on if you’re gonna lose, just think of the positive outcome at the end of it,” Erickson said. “You know, you go in with your team, maybe you’ll win with your team and maybe a losing team but it is a team effort.

You know, just be yourself.”

Erickson has been playing football and believes his strategy can work for others, but people should try and find their own rhythm and “good luck” charm, he said.

Other student-athletes like Yael Shpits and Ivy Nguyen both believe in superstitions, and they both have different ways of getting their heads in the game. Shpits’ strategy is simple but helpful. ”Something that I do for good luck is I use the same scrunchie—I obviously wash it though—for every game,” Shpits said. She said she only uses the scrunchie method but thinks the little things can help build your self-confidence.

Nguyen has two methods and

believes they can help take her mind off of the pressure and get her into a more fun mindset.

“The varsity team at MHS that I play on, we have this routine we do before every game,” Nguyen said. “It’s kind of silly, but it works most of the time, we could say so. We would get a volleyball and then all of us would hold it or at least be touching it, and then basically we would pray to the volleyball gods to bless us during our games and help us work together or do better. If during the game, we’re not doing so well, before the opponent serves or hits the ball, or when we’re preparing to receive the ball, we like to touch the ground. It gives a sense of support so we can get the next point.”

With these separate methods of getting into their gameday mindset, these incredible athletes are improving by the second and turning their sports into a fun activity and not a job. There are many more athletic superstitions out there, and whichever works best for you might help others as well.

Wrestlers cut weight down for season

By Angelina Barnes

In the sport of wrestling, athletes are expected to compete at a specific weight class. The weight classes range from around 106 pounds to 285 pounds, and they raise in increments of seven pounds. Failure to make weight is often viewed as a lack of dedication, something that is not tolerated by professional athletes.

In order to meet weight requirements, many athletes resort to the most efficient ways to make their designated weight class by either cutting weight or bulking.

The term “bulking” is used by wrestlers to pack on as much weight as possible before a match.

Similarly, cutting weight is the act of reducing the intake of food and fluids shortly before a wrestling match in order to qualify for a lower weight with as much muscular energy as possible. However, the sudden change in weight has raised many questions on exactly why and how wrestlers participate in weight cutting and bulking.

Junior Leyna Mai, who has competed in wrestling for three consecutive years, explains her process of going into a temporary calorie deficit, which involves consuming fewer carbs and eating more protein, to cut weight.

“Typically, my meals are smaller, and I’m usually only consuming carbs before practice for energy,” Mai said.

The day before a match or a tournament, wrestlers typically cut out a majority of their water intake in order to lose additional

water weight before weigh-ins, Mai said. Losing the additional weight is done in order to qualify for lower weight classes and give wrestlers a better chance of winning by wrestling competitors that are lighter than they are.

“For league tournaments like Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL), Central Coast Section (CCS), and other higher-ranked tournaments, I cut down,” Mai said.

According to Mai, she also participates in additional cardio exercises and goes to the sauna to help her sweat off extra water weight before gaining it back right before her match. Junior Isaiah Fortes, who began wrestling at the start of this season, uses a similar technique to cut his weight down before wrestling matches and tournaments.

“You control how much water you take in, and you [rely] on lighter or liquid foods,” Fortes said. Both athletes participate in large amounts of cardio that involve running or other forms of physical exercise shortly before competitions to ensure they stay in shape. However, in certain cases, cutting out water can lead to dehydration and lethargy, which can cause a decrease in aerobic endurance.

Junior Phu Le, who has been participating in wrestling for three years, stated that he often wears multiple layers of clothing and cuts back the amount of food that he intakes. When asked about their opinions regarding the potential short-term and long-term effects of cutting weight, all of the

aforementioned wrestlers expressed their belief that cutting weight for a short period of time did indeed make them stronger for their tournaments.

“I think that it’s a good [method] when [used] short term,” Fortes said.

They additionally mentioned that they didn’t believe cutting weight would have long-lasting effects on their health, given that the practice of cutting weight doesn’t go on for a prolonged period of time.

“Though it takes lots of discipline, making weight and feeling confident when wrestling at lower weight classes is promising,” Mai said.

According to Mai, through further guidance from her coaches and more experience throughout the years, she believes that she understands the purpose of weight cutting better.

As long as it is practiced safely, cutting weight is a routine—and important—part of preparing for any wrestling match, Le said. Although he is aware of the possible negative impacts of weight cutting, winning is foremost in his mind, Le added.

Despite the stigma surrounding the rapid weight loss that wrestlers experience, it’s important to remember that weight cutting should be a temporary practice, Mai said.

“I think it’s important to understand that weight cutting is a tool to temporarily help you lose weight for sports, not a lifestyle [or] something you should be frequently practicing,” Mai said.

Madeline Le, a junior at Milpitas High School, has committed to Duke University for the class of 2027.

Le has played for the MHS Varsity Softball team since her freshman year. Her positions are outfielder, shortstop, and third baseman. She was named Most Valuable Player during her sophomore year and had a batting average (number of hits per bat) of 0.500. Le also plays for the club, Cal Nuggets Woods 18U competitive softball team, where she travels nationally to compete in tournaments.

Le also received offers from other prestigious schools, such as Cornell and Harvard. After a few months of uncertainty, she announced her decision to sign with the Blue Devils back in December of 2021.

“I visited Cornell, Boston, MIT, and Harvard,” Le said. “But when I saw Duke, I was in love with the campus, and I met some of the girls [on the Duke Varsity Softball team], and they seemed super cool. And I love the coaching staff, their educational programs, and the facilities.”

College athletic recruitment is a long process, Le said. Colleges are not actually allowed to contact athletes until Sept. 1 of their junior year. When it came to Le’s career, the most she knew during her sophomore year was that some colleges were interested in her. However, in her freshman year, Le started sending emails introducing herself, her softball highlights, and tournament schedules to college coaches. It was at her last tournament in November when she was approached

by Coach Marissa Young, the head softball coach for Duke.

Young then followed Le on Twitter, where they exchanged phone numbers and scheduled a visit to the university, Le said.

Although she is confirmed for a spot at Duke, Le’s job is still far from over. According to MHS Varsity Softball coach and English teacher, Deanna Querubin, Le’s role for the upcoming season is to

fulfill her leadership role as a team captain.

“In the past, she led a lot through her actions because she’s so skilled,” Querubin said. “Now she has to really step up as a vocal leader because she’s older and she’s a veteran. Other than that, it’s just a matter of keeping her healthy and developing/strengthening her mental game. That’s what I’m hoping for; my commitment is to keep challenging her and keep my expectations hot.”

Le says her softball career started in the baseball stands. Inspired by her brother’s baseball games, she picked up her first bat at eight years old. She then transitioned to softball a few years later and was able to pick it up quickly since the two games are similar, according to Le. “Overhand pitching is a lot different than underhand pitching,” Le said. “That was my main challenge when I moved to softball because when the pitch comes from the hip, it’s a lot harder to read [the ball], especially with the spin… other than that, it was the speed of the game. As you get older, you play with higher competition and advanced strategies.”

Le is also a stellar student. She earned all A’s throughout her whole high school academic career and received a 4.17 GPA last semester, Le said. Being a student athlete, however, is no easy task.

According to Le, it is tiring having to balance travel-ball and school work.

“Mental stress is more of a problem,” Le said. “It just gets so tiring having to go to school for six hours and then go to practice and then, homework, and it’s extremely exhausting.”

Le said she currently has no interest in having a career in softball. Instead, she plans on graduating college with a masters degree in the STEM field.

“As of right now, compared to other professional male athletes, they make so much more money than any female professional athletes,” Le said. “I don’t feel like I could really live off of it; I wouldn’t feel comfortable money-wise so I would say no, for now.”

Photo Courtesy of Linh Le

Le poses with Duke University merchandise to indicate she will play in the class of 2027. Le’s positions are outfielder, shortstop, and third baseman and she is the captain of the MHS Varsity Softball Team.

FEBRUARY 2022

SPORTS

THE UNION

COVID-19 impacts sports with closures, testing, exposures

By Arsh Ali

Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, thorough regulations have been placed in schools to keep everyone safe from the virus. School sports have been an area of high concern as many sports require close contact between athletes, giving them a higher risk of being exposed to COVID-19.

To combat this danger, the MHS athletic department has enforced rules and policies to stop the spread of the virus through athletes and coaches.

According to the Santa Clara County Health Department’s COVID-19 TK-12 Decision Tree, which was updated on Jan. 20, someone who tests positive must

stay in isolation for at least five days. If the person tests negative after the five-day period, they may exit isolation. If they test positive after the five-day period, they must stay in isolation for at least another five days.

“It was at the beginning of the year that we had students that were not vaccinated either needed to participate in the testing provided on school sites or they needed to go out and get their outside testing once a week,” Athletic Director Joanna Butcher said in an interview.

If athletes were vaccinated, they could opt in to the testing if they wanted to, Butcher added.

“Then, when Omicron started, that first week of December, we had the surge [of positive cases]

and then it came down from the superintendent’s office that all winter athletes needed to test,” Butcher said.

Aside from the wrestling team, who was already testing their athletes regardless of status, winter sports began testing all of their athletes once a week, Butcher said.

“We’ve had several teams that have actually shut down or have chosen to shut down based on tests and positive tests and just for the safety they felt for the students and staff,” Butcher said.

The coach of the girls’ basketball team made a personal choice to shut them down for 10 days, Butcher said.

“They had an exposure with another team and then it started

to spread and, just for the health and safety of everyone, he’s like, ‘We’re shutting down for 10 days, and that way everyone will be good,’” Butcher said.

The boys’ basketball season has also been heavily affected by COVID, varsity boys basketball player Mehtab Kang said in an interview.

“We got shut down three, four times already. So it really takes us out of our rhythm whenever we get a positive COVID case. And we’ve been shut down for 10 days each time,” Kang said.

Six to eight players on the team have tested positive over the past three months, Kang added.

“I tested positive during the break when the school went [online] for 10 days,” Kang said. “On

Brian Dinh | THE UNION

Star athlete Norwood tackles college recruitment

By Muskaan Mahajan

Senior John Norwood is the captain of the MHS varsity football team, and has been playing the sport since sixth grade. Before joining the high school team, he played for the Milpitas Knights, Norwood said. His family has supported his football career by providing him with resources and tools that will help him become successful, Norwood added.

“I actually flew out to Texas this past summer to go train with some NFL trainers, and I tried to block some players that are in the league now,” Norwood said. “I had a contact with this coach out there, and he told me that he runs this training here [for NFL guys] in Texas during the NFL off-season. And so I sent him my film and I was like, ‘Would you accept me to come train with you guys just so I can get some of that next level training?’ and they [accepted] me.”

Currently, Norwood plays the defensive end and tight end positions; in the past, he played the wide receiver, running back, and quarterback positions, he said.

Throughout his football career he has had major injuries such as a broken hand, concussions, and a strained back, Norwood added.

“With Coach King there really is no off-season, because once the season ends we have about a week or two and then we’re back at practice,” Norwood said. “During the season, practices are from four to seven, and in the off-season, normally about the same length, but we’ll have weights which will make it a little longer, so about three to four hours.”

Norwood has received an offer to play at Bethany College, and is in the process of talking with the University of Hawai’i, New Mexico, and UC Davis, he said. He recently visited UC Davis where he received information about the

school and was offered tickets to watch a football game, he added.

“I knew that I wanted to play at the next level pretty early on, maybe sophomore or junior year, and junior year football season was short. It was only five games because of COVID, and we didn’t get that much opportunity to play, and I didn’t get much opportunity to showcase what I can do,” Norwood said. “So senior year I... got to work hard. And so I did and I got some pretty good films. And I just edited it together to make it in one place for coaches to see.

And I’ve posted it on every single coach email I can find, and just sent it out to a bunch of different coaches and hope that they reply.”

Outside of football, Norwood is interested in investing in stocks, he said. The main reason he became interested in stocks is because it allows him to make mon-

15

Friday [Jan. 7], I took my own PCR test. I tested positive and because the school was allowing us to stay home, I just quarantined over that.”

The team got their first COVID case in early December and was forced to stop practicing and playing for ten days, varsity boys basketball player Matthew Nguyen said in an interview. They missed three games during that period, Nguyen added.

“When we came back from winter break, about four people got COVID,” Nguyen said. “So, we were forced to play our game against Mountain View on Jan. 4 with about seven players.”

Now, all athletes that haven’t tested positive in the past 90 days have to participate in mandatory pool testing every Wednesday, Nguyen said.

The varsity boys soccer team was affected by COVID as well, albeit on a smaller scale. Aside from the many injuries this season, they’ve shut down fewer times than other teams. Being a sport played outdoors helped, varsity boys soccer coach James Williams said in an interview.

“We’ve had myself and a couple of players pop up with positives,” Williams said. “And then we quarantine and we deal with it.”

“It’s just been maintaining the protocols we had last year with the hand sanitizer, not sharing gear, not sharing water, trying to stay distant, and then trying to keep the season moving forward,” Williams said.

Athletes and coaches have been really flexible when it comes to these protocols, Butcher said.

“They’ve been amazing. If I say, ‘Hey, we got to wear masks,’ they put the masks on. If we’re testing today, they come and test,” Williams said about his players.

FEBRUARY 2022

NEWS

THE UNION

16

Tiffany Lieu | THE UNION

The graph shows the number of MUSD staff members counted as absent throughout a three week period.

MUSD experiences staff, substitute shortages following rise in COVID-19 cases, increases teacher workload

By Tiffany Lieu

From Jan. 3-21, MHS experienced a staff shortage, and at one point reached a high of 19 unfilled staff positions during the threeweek period, according to Staff Secretary Joyce Pahimulin.

With the surge in COVID-19 cases at the beginning of January and the staff absences that accompanied it, the Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) had to search for substitutes more extensively, MUSD Assistant Superintendent of Human Relations Jonathon Brunson said. Teachers and administrators filled in for some absences, the district contracted an agency for substitutes, increased benefits were offered to new and existing substitute teachers, and the community was also asked for support, Brunson added.

“We advertised for parents and other community members on our social media and other statewide agencies to try to recruit more people to work in Milpitas,” Brunson said.

This staff shortage followed a

national trend, Brunson added.

“There’s a shortage in the market in the state of California, the nation of teachers,” Brunson said.

“And Milpitas is dedicated to trying to find highly qualified, credential teachers to teach our students. And so, sometimes, it takes us longer to find those candidates because we really want somebody that’s fully credentialed but also really good at their work.“ Before and after the four-day online learning period, during the weeks of Jan. 3-7 and Jan. 17-21, there was no change in the weekly high of staff absences at MHS, according to Pahimulin.

Compared to the first semester of the 2021-22 school year, MUSD substitute teacher Jenifer Lind has been called in for more jobs, she said. She said she also felt that she lacked support from the school district going into online learning. To learn how to use applications such as Zoom, she said she relied more on the staff at MHS. “I worked through the shutdown because the secretary was kind enough to sit with me and

explain to me how to do it,” Lind said. “If it weren’t for her, I’d have no idea.”

MHS teacher and teacher union representative Brett Webber said that his workload increased from covering other teachers’ absences during his prep periods.

“We have to do our preparation outside of school hours. So I’m making photocopies before school, or I’m making photocopies during my lunch, or I’m staying after school,” he said. “It’s exhausting. It’s not the way things should be.”

Webber added that he took on substituting for these classes out of a general sense of responsibility.

“No one pressures us to do it, but I do feel the pressure,” Webber said. “No one is saying, ‘Please help us,’ but I do feel the pressure because I know that this is the situation. There is no easy fix for it, and so I would rather be helping be part of the solution.”

As of Jan. 26, the only unfilled teaching position in the district was at Zanker Elementary School, Brunson said.

SHARON TALAIA | THE UNION

Brian Dinh | THE UNION

The pie chart displays data from a survey ran by The Union concerning opinions on school violence and safety for teachers on campus.

Rise in violent behavior FROM PAGE 1 said. “At one point, while two students were wrestling on the ground near the L-building, a third student came in and started stomping and kicking one of the guys on the ground. Then, a fourth student came in and started fighting too.”

A video clip of this incident appears to show an altercation in which four male students target another male student near rooms L2 and L3, which are located on the lower floor of the L-building. The video footage appears to show wrestling, punching, kicking, stomping, and shoving among the male students.

“In the very beginning of the year we were seeing more frequent conflicts,” Hutchison said in an email interview. “We attribute much of that to the fact that we were in Distance Learning for so long and people were able to hide behind a screen and be anonymous. Now, it is in person and is more clearly personal to people.

It is also because people had been so isolated and in a strange sense, were having to learn to relate with each other again.”

Science teacher Glen Barrett attributes the increase in violent behavior at MHS to the tension and stress students face as they readjust to in-person learning, he said in an interview. Despite the stress caused by the sudden return to in-person learning, Barrett believes MHS’s Associated Student Body, organizations, and students have done a great job of maintaining a positive environment, he added.

“In my experience at this school, we’ve had a pretty safe campus and low number of fights compared to most schools,” Barrett said. “I think violent behavior has only increased this past year as a consequence of the pandemic and because everyone has a level of trauma that we’re all working our way through… I think this year has been an anomaly.”

Similarly, English teacher Amy Huddleston attributes the increased violence among students to the pandemic, she said in response to a survey conducted by The Union.

“It makes sense that, in an un-

certain world still grappling with a pandemic, students feel powerless, and it has long been established that powerlessness and insecurities lead to bullying and tribalism (“us vs. them”),” Huddleston said.

Computer science teacher Charles Castleman said he believes the increased violent behavior at MHS should be taken more seriously by the school. According to Castleman, students who engage in violent behavior should be given stringent punishments and possibly charged with crimes.

“You can have all the security you want and all the cameras you want, but at the end of the day, if students are not held accountable for behavior like this in a real way, security, cameras, and watching things is not going to stop it,” Castleman said. “I would support a very harsh policy for students who engage in violent behavior…

I think that people who engage in violent behavior need to be charged with crimes. They need to be criminally charged more than just the school process.”

Schletzbaum also said he believes strict punishments are necessary.

“If teachers and security guards are afraid for their careers and/or safety, and consequences to violators are not imposed, student safety will increasingly be left up to school resource officers, escalating punishments for restorative justice, suspension, expulsion, to the permanence of criminal records, feeding the school to prison pipeline and making lives worse for students,” Schletzbaum said in a statement.

Special education teacher Travis Blair also shared his thoughts on the increase in violence on campus. This issue of violent behavior among students has been seen at MHS before, but the school had consequences for students in the past, Blair said in response to a survey conducted by The Union.

“I understand where admin are coming from, but I do not think they are helping the situation,” Blair said. “I do not think this is restorative justice; it feels like there is no restoration and no justice for anyone involved.”