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THE
December 2025 VOLUME XLII ISSUE III
MHSTHEUNION.COM FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program suspensions lead users to seek other assistance By Harold Hong
With the recent government shutdown ending on Nov. 12, food stamps and other federal assistance have resumed. This shutdown has put a spotlight on federal assistance, specifically on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — dubbed CalFresh in California. As of May 2025, a recorded 41.7 million people in the United States receive SNAP benefits, according to the Pew Research Center article “What the data says about food stamps in the U.S.” Senior and SNAP user Adriana Vazquez gets welfare checks through the government, and has a card that gets money every Thursday, she said. Vazquez isn’t aware of any other students who rely on programs like SNAP, but knows students who do financially struggle, she said. “I haven’t sought help from food
pantries, but I know some students do seek that, and I think it’s very thoughtful that we have programs in place to help students and families,” Vazquez said.
In a recent survey conducted by The Union, 44 of 749 (5.9%) Milpitas High School students reported relying on SNAP or other federal food assistance programs. Vazquez’s family did not receive any checks for a while because of the government shutdown, she said. “I started using my paychecks from my job to help my mom pay the bills as well as groceries,”
Vazquez said. “She did tell me at some point she needed $200 to pay back something, and I gave her that money.” MHS needs a program that allows students to get more resources, Vazquez said. Vazquez knows some low-income students who are academically failing because of their home life and attempts to balance it with school, she said. “I feel like it (a school benefit program) could help students find jobs and find places where they can get income,” Vazquez said. “They (students) can start babysitting, pet sitting, applying to places as soon as they can, and also just making sure that they feel safe, they have what they need, especially if they feel like SNAP isn’t covering what they need.” Sacred Heart Community SerSEE PAGE 16
Marie De Vré | THE UNION The Accompaniment Coordinator at Rapid Response Network provides resources through a slideshow presentation to families at the Know Your Rights workshop on Nov. 20, 2025.
District policies align with statewide legislation to protect immigrant students, district states By Marie De Vré
Uyen Vu | THE UNION
The Milpitas Food Pantry is a non-profit organization that relies on community donations, like through MUSD’s Jack Emery.
Automatic admission into California State Universities changes college application strategies, opportunities By Satvika Gidvani
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 640 into law, expanding the CSU’s Direct Admissions Program to school directs across California. The California State University will make an offer of admission to certain campuses as long as the student meets certain academic standards, according to the CSU’s website. The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, with full statewide participation beginning for fall 2027 applicants, according to CSU website. In order to receive an official offer of acceptance from a campus, students will still need to submit an application and pay the $70 fee, according to the CSU
website. Milpitas High School juniors may soon find the college process less stressful thanks to the new CSUdirect admissions program launching next year, counselor Julie Cler said. All school districts are supposed to use californiacolleges. edu for student transcripts, so the state of California can see which students are qualified to go to a CSU, Cler said. “The CSUs will send you an email or a physical mail saying they are offering you a spot,” Cler said. “It states that if you apply, you will get in, but you still have to apply.” The program evaluates the eligibility using uploaded student transcripts and GPA data, begin-
ning with the 2.5 minimum GPA requirement, Cler said. “Since transcripts are uploaded into californiacolleges.edu, the state can see which students qualify for a CSU based on their academic records,” Cler added.
If you are eligible for the program, all 16 CSUs will contact you, saying you will get accepted, counselor Julie Cler said.
SEE PAGE 16
In response to community concern regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the district is working to inform the immigrant community of their rights through Know Your Rights workshops, Supervisor of Wellbeing and Immigrant Support Norma Morales said. She began planning Know Your Rights workshops last school year, she said. Last year, students, especially Latino students, stopped showing up to school out of fear of ICE activity, Morales said. The fear among students and their families sparked the idea to hold Know Your Rights workshops, she said. Morales received questions from students asking how to protect themselves and their families, so she wanted them to know their rights, she added. “The reason why it’s important to teach our students is just because they remember more than an adult, and they have more time,” Morales said. “And most of the time, these students might be translating for their adult parents.” Now that students are more aware of their rights, the workshops have started teaching about a Family Plan, Morales said. The Family Plan is meant to prepare students if a family member is detained, ensuring that paperwork and legal documents are prepared, Morales said. “Sometimes you just don’t think, ‘If they take my mom and I don’t have a dad, or vice versa, who’s going take care of me?’” she said. “So that’s when you want to be proactive, just doing it right now and writing it down.” The district hires lawyers to keep watch on new legislation that affects the district’s ability to provide students with public education, MUSD Board President Chris Norwood said. The superintendent, as well as the school
board’s president and vice president, are notified of how these new laws will be enforced before the information is sent directly to school sites, he said. “The goal here is to inform and at the same time keep as many families safe as possible,” Norwood said. There is always concern based on what’s being reported in the news, so the district is always providing information to school sites about their protocol if ICE is spotted in the area, Norwood said. “We are in a constant state of alert or awareness that that could be a possibility, and we have to be prepared to respond,” he said. All of the new immigration policies passed in California are designed to protect its residents who may be subject to this current federal administration’s approach to immigration enforcement, Norwood said. MUSD SEE PAGE 16
NEWS IN BRIEF New MHS App:
The Techways Club created an app where students and staff can find all school resources. Right now, the app is on iOS, and an Android version is coming out soon. Search “MHS Trojans” to download.
Finals Schedule: 12/17 - 1st and 2nd Period 12/18 - 3rd and 4th Period 12/19 - 5th and 6th Period 8:30 am - 10:30 am Break: 10:30 am - 10:45 am 10:50 - 12:50 pm Spring semester starts on Tuesday, Jan. 6
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THE UNION
PRO 20-hour service requirement is beneficial The community service re- that they will need to know in quirement of 20 hours is not just the future, such as communireasonable; it is necessary for cation, teamwork, time manall high schoolers. It prepares agement, and leadership. When us to become productive and students are later employed, responsible members of society. they're expected to have these While some people argue that core skills and values. The 20-hour minimum rea 20-hour minimum community service requirement takes quirement is both very achievtime away from academics and able and reasonable if spread other personal commitments, out evenly throughout students’ community service teaches us four years of high school – it’s the real-world experience of only five hours a year, which is in-person connection shorter than a regthat no classroom or ular school day. The book ever could. 20-hour requirement Communit y seris intentionally device can be simply signed so that it would not be a burden on the explained by defining each word. The students. Along with all the “community” is the persona l improvepeople around you who will be positively ments that students affected by your good will experience with work. Your “service” community ser vice, REUBEN is the time and effort students will also imTHAYIL that you put into your prove academically. work to help improve Some may arg ue your community. Essentially, that community service costs community service is the act of money and requires transportausing your time to help the peo- tion to achieve their minimum ple within your community to requirement. However, there make it a better place. are a plethora of opportunities Community service also al- on campus held by clubs, teachlows students to step outside of ers, and the school. The College their comfort zones, whether and Career Center frequently that be working in a soup kitch- sends out emails detailing open, tutoring younger students, portunities for students to gain assisting at a shelter, or more. community service hours. Students learn firsthand what it Community service is more means to be a productive mem- than just a school requirement; ber of society and develop em- it is a necessity for all high pathy by helping those in need, schoolers who should experiwhich is something that cannot ence it teaches you the values happen during regular school and skills you need to be a prohours. ductive member of society, so it Students also learn the skills should not be removed.
CON Service requirement needs to be changed Mandatory community ser- just need a parent who owns a vice often becomes an obliga- nonprofit, or any adult willing tion rather than a meaningful to sign, to approve hours that experience, weakening the true were never actually completed. purpose of volunteering. When Honest students feel pressured students participate only be- and disadvantaged, while discause they have to, the work be- honest students can easily bycomes a checkbox rather than a pass the rules, proving that the requirement is neither fair nor genuine service. Forcing students to volunteer effective. can also create resentment toTwenty hours of communiwards community service. In- ty service may not seem like stead of encouraging a lifelong a lot, but for some students, it habit of giving back, required is a huge burden. In particuservice hours may push stu- lar, this requirement affects dents away from volunteering the students with complicated in the future. Once personal lives. Many something becomes students work partmandatory, it stops time jobs to support feeling rewarding or their families, care personal. Rather than for their younger sibinspiring students lings, or have limited to care about their access to transportation. For them, findcommunities, the reing time for service quirement risks makhours is not just hard; ing service feel like a punishment. sometimes, it's nearly SATVIKA As a result, many impossible. MandatoGIDVANI ry hours often ignore students settle for the realities students easy or superficial face outside of school, service, even if it is not really community service. especially for those balancing For example, activities such as multiple responsibilities. These graduation requirewriting a single letter for clubs or other activities can give stu- ments, while attached to serdents a whole hour of communi- vice hours, create excessive additional stress for students who ty service. For a toy drive, students have are already stretched thin. Service hours punish students been able to donate one toy for an hour of community service. for circumstances beyond their Some opportunities labeled as control and does not ref lect “community service” do not their academic effort, characactually serve the broader com- ter, or commitment to learning. munity. Simply writing a letter In an attempt to foster genuine to one person is not worth an community involvement, the requirement ends up diminishhour of service. In addition, because the sys- ing the value of service while tem requires nothing more than placing unnecessary stress on a signature from any adult, it the very students it claims to can be easy to exploit. Students help.
OPINIONS
DECEMBER 2025
Policy should allow independent study after school breaks Milpitas is home to many immigrant families. At MHS, we take pride in celebrating our cultural diversity and creating a community that is welcoming to everyone. To accommodate our student population with roots in other countries, our Independent Study Policy should be more lenient in allowing students to visit families living abroad. Independent study is a program used to help students keep up with educational content when they have to miss school. The policy allows students to miss 3 to 14 days of school as long as they follow six guidelines about when independent studies can be taken and what work should be completed, according to the student handbook. One of these guidelines states that “independent studies shall not be combined with district school breaks that are five or more days.” This guideline may have been implemented as a measure to ensure students don't
fall behind with schoolwork. and raised in California, my only However, it creates a dilemma family in the U.S. is my parents, for many students with families so spending the holidays with my relatives halfway living across the world: across the world is risk the consequences an experience I look of unexcused absence for ward to ever y or miss a rare opportunity to meet relayear. As the holiday tives. I haven’t seen my season approaches, cousins living in the extended families United Kingdom for come together for about a year. I haven’t celebrat ions l i ke seen my grandparents Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. living in India for over two years. My parents Even for others who work full-time jobs aren’t celebrating a KASHVI with inflexible schedreligious or cultural AGARWAL ules, making longer holiday, the wintertime is perfect for travel impossible anyfestive activities and time other than in the last two weeks of December. bonding with family. While the new semester marks A direct flight from San Francisco to New Delhi takes close to the beginning of new topics in 16 hours; flights with layovers class curriculums, it should take more than 20 hours. Due be the student's responsibility to jet lag, full days lost to trav- to keep up with their work if el, and having to visit different they choose to take indepenparts of India to meet both my dent study after winter break. maternal and paternal families, School policy should not stand two weeks is simply not enough in the way of families visiting time. loved ones in countries across As an only child who was born the world.
Social media's idealization of slimness harms everyone Extreme thinness is being normalized and glorified in society, through celebrity appearances, endorsements, and social media trends. This is harmful, as thinness is being celebrated with no care for the mental and physical harm it may cause. There is a trend of Hollywood celebrities undergoing extreme weight loss. For example, the cast of “Wicked” at their latest premiere, appeared dramatically thinner compared to how they looked before film production. Other celebrities, such as Lilly Collins and Natalia Dyer “Stranger Things”, have appeared incredibly emaciated at their latest public appearances. The promotion of unhealthily thin celebrities sends the message to young viewers that extreme thinness is normal. It is incredibly harmful to not only young viewers, whose perception of body image will become influenced by these celebrities.
Especially because these ce- contribute to the idealization lebrities may be battling eating of thinness. This challenge disorders and other distressing involves putting a pair of sunfactors causing their malnour- glasses around one’s waist to see if their waist is small enough for ishment. the sunglasses not to Other celebrities stretch out. have come out about This harmful trend using diet drugs in encourages scrutirecent years, to unnizing one’s body, dergo extreme weight celebrating what is loss. Tennis star Serea result of genetics. na Williams has been When an unattainpart of ads promoting able body type is gloGLP-1, a diabetic and rified, it causes peoobesity medication ple to overscrutinize known as Ozempic, their bodies, and poand has spoken about SHIVANI tentially strive for a her experiences using ARUN size that may not be it for weight loss. healthy. Williams is one of the In the midst of biggest tennis stars in the world. Her body prior to the normalization of extreme taking Ozempic has won her thinness, and glorifying cerOlympic gold medals. Promot- tain body types, it is necessary ing GLP-1s for weight loss nor- to educate young people on the malizes going to an extreme in importance of staying healthy order to lose weight. This shift and to recognize that what is says that you could be perfectly glamorized is not always the healthy, and athletic, and still, right path. We need to protect girls and women from losing thinness is the ultimate goal. Trends on social media, such themselves in the pursuit of as the recent “sunglass check,” thinness.
Shakespeare should be taught less in high school classes William Shakespeare was a producer of timeless classics in English literature, so iconic that his work is taught in almost every American high school. Although English teachers hold the poet on a pedestal, Shakespeare is outdated. High school students are subjected to reading numerous poems by Shakespeare, which are often marred by an abundance of archaic English and dated themes. Poetry is defined as “literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica. In my opinion, Shakespeare falls short; his outdated English creates difficulties for readers approaching his stories. Students who are introduced to Shakespeare are intimidated by his unique speech, to the point of dreading Shakespeare’s work instead of appreciating it. This is a problem, especial-
ly for high school students who my opinion, creating a very inmay associate Shakespeare’s teresting read. I’m not saying that Shakename with poetry as a whole, as it may dissuade them from speare should be replaced, but becoming potential poets and he should be taught less compared to other poets. Shakeauthors. As an alternative, schools speare’s themes are also outshould consider teaching other dated. Topics of revenge, love, poets who discuss more diverse insecurity, and jealousy, all topics that are put to an and modern themes, extreme in the writwhile creating a simings of Shakespeare, ilar emotional depth but are somewhat clias Shakespeare. Poched. Furthermore, ets like Alice Walker, setting these themes Wilfred Owen, and within an older setEdgar Allan Poe are ting creates more of not discussed with a cultural divide bethe same frequency as tween his writings Shakespeare. and the current readAlice Walker, an er. A frican-A merican The authors I have poet, focuses on the AARON listed discuss relbeauty of human naCHIAH evant and complex ture while weaving in themes of war, race, tones of racism and acceptance. For example, in and acceptance. Shakespeare her poem “The Flowers,” Alice focuses on simple themes found Walker describes sharecropper in children’s books. Shakespeare’s writings are Wilfred Owen, a famous World War 1 poet who illustrates his intimidating and increasingly outlook on war and the absur- irrelevant to the students of todity of it, debunking the myth day. We should consider choosof a “glorious” war, to paint a ing authors who relate more realistic and gritty picture. Ed- to modern audiences instead gar Allen Poe uses dark tones to of dwelling on his exhausted explore the topic of horror, in works.
DECEMBER 2025
Soaring prices are driving players away from game releases Video game prices have drastically risen since 2020. An article from Northern Global News states that “Development costs, increased budget, and new industry models have caused prices to increase.” Also, the article “Compounding the Price Rise as Statistics” from Video Game Insights, states “Concord, Payday 3, and Modern Warfare II failed to break even in their budgets” compared to all overall revenue generated in their release timeline. Many gamers feel as though they aren't getting the quality gaming experience expected with the premium prices of newer games. In my opinion, I don't believe the high pricing of new games is justified considering smaller games recently being praised for affordability, and having good quality to back it up. To add on, these new price hikes caused many gamers like me to be frustrated as in general prices of basic necessities are rising. Raised prices have led to backlash and a decline in gaming sales from consum-
THE UNION
EDITORIAL
ers. According to Games on a given project. Industry Biz, 18-24 year-olds' As prices of video games continue to rise each year, weekly spending on games has overall it’s making it dropped by 25%. hard for new people to The affordability get into video games of video games is while also pushing the harder on young core audience away. people trying to This is why other manage games gamers and I stopped with financials buying new games simply due to affordability. and student loans It’s not reasonable to as well. buy one 70 dollar video In addition, due NIA game. to high prices the MARTIN Affordable pricing gaming industry and the loss of focus has had massive on crucial aspects of layoffs within recent years, as reported in the a game are driving down conGameSpot’s report. Both Xbox sumer interest. Helldivers 2 and PlayStation have had mas- and Palworld are successful exsive layoffs, which negatively amples of leaning into a large impacted the gaming studios' audience while still being afmerger between the two com- fordable, showing the raising panies. This caused issues for prices is purely just to generate game directors, and develop- more revenue from game sales. ers among other roles. Also, I feel strongly against the jusQuality Assurance, which are tification of new premium pricgame testers typically called ing, as games with lower pricing QAs without these workers, can still have better quality discause pricing to go up to make proving that high prices equal up for the loss of people working worth.
U NION The
S T U D E N T V O I C E O F M I L P I TA S H I G H
The Union is published by the Journalism class of Milpitas High. The views in The Union are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the school, students, administration, or Milpitas Unified School District.
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S TA F F Marie de vré • Editor-In-Chief Harold hong • Editor-In-Chief Uyen vu • News Editor Alice nguyen • Asst. News Editor Sowmya sundar • Op-Ed Editor Reuben thayil • Asst. Op-Ed Editor Namana balakrishna • Features Editor Kashvi agarwal • Asst. Features Editor
EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union
California leads climate efforts as US steps back For this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), held from Nov. 10 to Nov. 21, President Donald Trump did not send any delegates to attend. Instead, California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, along with a few other U.S. state governors, attended the summit. While the Trump administration is denying climate change and reversing climate policies, California is creating hope by fighting against the onset of climate change through partnerships with other nations and state legislation. The U. S. Env ironmenta l Protection Agency's plans to declare that greenhouse emissions do not endanger humans convey that the federal government believes that climate change should not be one of the nation's concerns, according to the CNN article "The US Government has Declared War on the Very Idea of Climate Change." This is a blatant denial of well-supported, scientific research. Since then, Trump’s adminis-
tration has rolled back several climate policies. More recently, on Dec. 3, 2025, it announced the plan to ease fuel economy requirements for new vehicles, lowering the rate at which vehicles must become more fuel efficient each year, according to the NPR article "Trump Administration Rolls Back Fuel Economy Standards." Even though this may lower vehicle prices, it will increase the demand for oil and emit even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Ca lifor nia's presence at COP30 demonstrated that the federal government's absence at the conference does not mean the U.S. as a whole is not addressing climate change. At COP30, Governor Newsom created partnerships with Nigeria, Brazil, Colombia, and Chile, according to "Governor Newsom Expands California’s Global Climate Leadership at COP30," according to the governor’s website. While the U.S. refuses to attend the Climate Change conference and withdraws from the Paris Agreement, California
has a strong network of global climate partnerships. Besides ma king partnerships, California has been taking steps to prevent wildfires. Wildfires contribute to carbon emissions, degrade air quality, destroying habitats. In September, California passed Senate Bill 254 (SB254), with various provisions for wildfire mitigation, including $18 billion to the state's Wildfire Fund, according to the KQED article "Newsom Signs Climate, Energy Bills. The bill is particularly relevant as the state has seen an increased frequency and intensity of wildfires in recent years. As the federal government neglects to acknowledge climate change and the nation challenges California's climate laws, California emphasizes sustainability, alleviating the effects of climate change. Although the state legislation can’t solve all of the state's problems, with the pursuit of renewable energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, California's actions are steps in the right direction.
Shrihan sham • Sports Editor Reina tam • Asst. Sports Editor Natalie chen • Lifestyle Editor Joseph graham • Asst. Lifestyle Editor Jerry yong • Entertainment Editor Ryan truong • Asst. Entertainment Editor Rain bacungan • Spread Editor Lauren dang • Asst. Spread Editor Jonah wu • Graphics/Photo Editor Satvika gidvani • Web/Social Media Editor Aaron chiah • Business/Ad Manager Adit singh • Reporter
EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union
Jacob huang • Reporter
California must address escalating cost of living
Kamisha rodas • Reporter
The cost of living in California has seen a large upsurge in the last half-decade. As of September, the median single-family home price in California is $906,500, nearly double the median home price in the U.S. at $462,206, according to the Forbes article “Median home price by state: How much do houses cost?” California should put more focus on reducing high living costs. California residents pay the highest state income tax rate in the country at 13.3%, according to the SoFi article “Cost of Living in California.” Other bills that add up towards one’s cost of living in California are grocery and food costs. Per person, California’s average annual nonrestaurant food cost is $4,708, which works out to $392 per month, the SoFi article states. California’s electrical power rates are roughly double the price, according to the Mercury News article “Why California’s sky-high living costs keep
increasing.” Accounting for a wide range of factors, the calculated living costs for an upper-middle-class Californian family with an annual income of $130,000 are roughly $29,753 more per year than the national average, as stated by the article. These prices account for utilities, housing, taxes, and other costs of living. More state and locally funded programs can be set up to help Californians pay off their various bills. As of 2024, the median household income in California is $102,000, according to the Mercury News article. With the average single-family home in California being so expensive, Californians look towards mortgages to pay off a home’s hefty purchase price. However, as of September, the mortgage for even a bottom-tier home in California requires an annual household income of $136,000, a 33% increase from the median household income in 2024, as per the ar-
ticle. Having a requirement for mortgages places house ownership out of reach for the average Californian. This stipulation should either be lowered or more thoughtful of each family’s circumstances. Multiple cities in California, like San Francisco and Long Beach, are ranked amongst the most expensive urban cities in the U.S., according to the LA Homes article “California cost of living (2025): How expensive is it to live in California?” Inland and rural homes are recommended if one is looking for more affordable housing. This is why California should take a step in constructing homes in places other than urban centers. California’s problems surrounding expensive living expenses will not be solved quickly. Despite offering enjoyable activities, California’s expensive living costs continue to make the state more and more unaffordable to reside in.
Nia martin • Reporter Shivani arun • Reporter Tejus karadi • Reporter
Sanjit Roy Journalism Advisor
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FEATURES
THE UNION
DECEMBER 2025
Student artists paint their future through art commissions By Sowmya Sundar
Joseph Graham| THE UNION
ICAN members shoot a video inside the campus’s community room.
‘Innovation Campus and News’ (ICAN) CLOG reports on student, school culture By Joseph Graham
Innovation Campus and News (ICAN) is a regular activity for many students at Innovation Campus to come together and film on Thursdays, ICAN advisor Sejee Kim said. They plan the scripts together as well as record school field trips and events, making it a huge part of Innovation Campus’ culture, she added. ICAN emerged out of a student desire to create and contribute something to the school, Kim said. “The students noticed we didn’t have a set method of communication at this new campus, and so they wanted to create a way to communicate with each other, for student news and school news,” Kim said. A lot of students can’t make it to school events, and they don’t really see the point of going to them, ICAN scriptwriter Long Nguyen said. “Using ICAN as an outlet to show these events creates a relationship without even having people there,” Nguyen said. “A relationship where everyone feels like they’re together and that kind of makes everyone excited.” =It’s not just a news source, it’s a way to share and to build community, ICAN news anchor Noah Angel said. The members interact with all of Innovation Campus’s students in interviews or other activities, such as skits, he added. “I think it’s built a lot of bonds within a lot of students who work on these videos for the school, and I think a lot of people enjoy watching them,” Angel said. “It helps people who don’t talk to a lot of people get known more.” ICAN is a really cool way for the
kids who can’t go to Innovation Campus’ after-school events or fundraisers to still see what’s going on, Kim said. “They get to see their classmates in a new light, because people’s different personalities come out,” Kim said. “A lot of people who can’t typically attend events still contribute by being editors or being contributors in some way to ICAN.” The mission at Innovation Campus is to encourage underrepresented populations to pursue STEAM and all kinds of technology-related fields, Kim said. “This (ICAN) is a really interesting, accessible way for students (at Innovation Campus) who don’t typically have a lot of technological or engineering experience to start dabbling with media creation, production, and those kinds of things,” Kim added. Right now, ICAN does a lot of small announcements and quick recaps of small events that happen at Innovation Campus, Kim said. “I think it would be nice if there were more connections to the main campus, maybe more people being featured in it, instead of it being mainly the anchor giving the news,” Kim said. For the first year at Innovation Campus, it was mainly ICAN providing news and information to students, Kim said. With it being the second year and with more things being established, there are now morning announcements, she added. “ICAN still remains the main way for students to hear about events and get announcements,” Kim said.
Students on campus are utilizing their artistic skills to do art commissions, a type of art sale where clients request an artist to create custom pieces. These artists have learned to balance their individual illustration businesses with school while building early business and communication skills. Sophomore Zee Pham said they were around 4 or 5 when they were first exposed to art through a Disney show called ‘Little Einstein’s’ and was inspired by Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” They became invested in art and wanted to help their parents with making money, Pham added. “My dad said, ‘Hey, you should use your art for money purposes,’” Pham said. “I’ve seen a lot of people do that online, so I thought, ‘Maybe I should do this as well.’” Senior Sophia Villo wanted a creative output, and was very interested in people selling their art on social media, Villo added. “Art is not typically a good job to make an income, but the idea of having something drawn in an art style you really admire really fascinated me,” Villo said. “I hoped that other people would like my art enough to buy it.” Senior Vicky Har said she began by drawing cats, after reading a book series called “Warrior Cats.” She noticed people around her were doing art commissions, so she wanted to try it out, she added. “I feel like it was also an accomplishment as an artist,” Har said. Pham said they began by reaching out to their friends to see if they were interested in commissioning them. “I got the first commission, and it went really well,” they said. “Afterwards, I began advertising it on Instagram to see if anyone wants to buy more.” To price their art, Pham looks at examples of other artists who have experience with online commissions, they said. They noticed it was often really pricey, they added. “Considering I’m still new to commissions, I wanted to do a decent price where people can afford it,” Pham said. “So, I started from $5 to $20 at first, and then
over time, I built up to the $50’s.” Har prices her items based on however much money she wants at the moment, then opens her commissions, Har said. She doesn’t base an art’s price off her time spent on it, Har added. “I just do it off of how much I think my art should be worth,” Har said. “A headshot would be around $25, and a full body would be around $50.” Villo said clients usually commission her for pencil sketches because that’s her cheapest option. Pencil commissions are also the ones that take her the shortest amount of time to do, which is why it’s so cheap, she added. “On average, it takes around 20 minutes for me,” Villo said. “Digital commissions are on the pricier side. The one that’s most expensive is my rendered digital (artwork) because on average, it’ll take three to five hours for me to complete. I think I scaled that to $40.” Villo looks at her schedule first,
then posts deadlines for her commissions, she said. She currently has her commissions open, but she’s closing them the day before finals, she added. “I opened them right now because I have the least amount of work so far,” Villo said. “I also am free to negotiate. I think negotiation is important for when I take commissions because some people will have really complicated commissions that I can’t do in the span of two days.” Villo wants to practice drawing because one of her dreams is to make her own comic, she said. She posts on her social media account so she can develop her scheduling skills and learn how she can balance art with other work, she said. “My dream is to be a full-time artist,” she said. “But for now, I’m going to aim to finish my education and try to get a business major. I want to play this game of patience where I just try to develop until I’m ready.”
Courtesy of Vicky Har
An infocard showcasing different prices Vicky Har charges for different types of art commissions customers can buy online.
English teachers express their opinions on banned books, how they handle sensitive topics in class By Alice Nguyen
School book bans, defined as when access to a book is restricted or diminished due to external pressures, have risen by 340% in 2024-2025 from the past year, according to a report done by PEN America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating creative expression. Often, these bans occur because people find that subjects such as violence, sexual orientation or identity in these books are inappropriate, English teacher Skyler Draeger said. Sexual assault is another subject that is often considered inappropriate, found in the commonly taught English III book “The Catcher in the Rye,” Draeger said. A lot of classics in literature will be found on banned book lists because they often deal with real life, and real life has situations that are mature, sometimes sexual, sometimes violent, he added. “I don’t go out of my way to attempt to teach banned books,” Draeger said. “That’s not how I operate at all. But books open the door to new perspectives for us, and so if we’re going to learn about the world and the society we live in, or the past, being able
to read something that is set in that location and has the concerns of that time written into it makes sense, and that’s how we learn.” English teacher Cindy Ung teaches a variety of banned books in her freshman classes, including “Of Mice and Men,” a novel set in the 1930s during a time of rampant racism, Ung said. Ung thinks that the main reason why “Of Mice and Men” would’ve been banned in other districts was that the novel uses the n-word profusely and almost casually, she added. “Racism, it’s still rampant today, but it was especially rampant back then,” Ung said. “Steinbeck using the n-word– it’s not to deliberately offend his audience. It’s to clearly reflect the times. And by understanding the times, it helps us understand the belief systems of the characters and real people who lived in the 1930s. That’s what makes ‘Of Mice and Men’ such a fascinating book.” What reality was could be reality today, and we need to learn not to repeat these kinds of beliefs, Ung said. “To shield children or teenagers from these truths or belief systems is very dangerous, because they need to know what these are in order to learn that it’s not
okay to say the n-word,” Ung said. “I even have a quick lesson with my freshmen about the history of the n-word and why it was used and where it originated from. By censoring that, it’s a disservice to our students as adults to willfully place them in ignorance.” English teacher Ana Hahs teaches “Wonder” in her ELD class, she said. “Wonder,” a story about a boy who has Treacher Collins syndrome, has been censored in other places because of its use of the r-word, she said. The boy refers to himself using the r-word, leading people to ban it because they believe that schools shouldn’t promote that kind of language, Hahs added. “But I think for me, it opens up the larger conversation of why he felt the need to use that word to describe himself and what does that say about how sometimes disabled people feel in society because a core theme of the book is how you navigate the world when you are visibly disabled, when you have no way of hiding the fact that you are different from everybody else,” Hahs said. It is especially important to educate ELD students that the r-word is an inappropriate word to use because they’re unfamiliar with American culture, Hahs said. “I have a discussion with them
about how he’s (the main character) going to use this word to describe himself, but you should definitely not use that word in your own language and speaking because it comes from an older time when we were discriminating against people with disabilities and implying that they were less than human,” Hahs said. Teaching the history behind literature and giving space for students to discuss is important, Ung said. “I try to have my students chime in on what they already know about our social structures, like what they know about racism and rape, because they know,” Ung said. “Instead of lecturing them, you need to give students that voice to converse because these are real things. I feel like students forget that what we teach applies to real life, so it’s good to let them talk about it so they can apply that.” Ung has learned from Mr. Brett Webber and Ms. Ginger Roy to prepare students for triggering and sensitive content before introducing a chapter, she said. She has discussions with her students
before reading a chapter in “The House on Mango Street” because of a chapter that contains rape. “Mr. Webber has a really interesting pre-reading lesson in which they talk about characters who have power over others, because rape essentially is when you are taken advantage of, and essentially the perpetrator has that power to manipulate or hurt you or the rape victim,” Ung said. “So it’s a very interesting discussion with students about how people use power to hurt, and how they are in power or how they get that authority or advantage in the first place.” No one is saying that all books are appropriate for all age groups, Hahs said. But if the solution to an uncomfortable book is to ban it instead of questioning why it causes discomfort, then that’s a problem, she added. “I think the problem is that when we’re banning books, we’re not having those discussions,” Hahs said. “If we think a book is problematic, we should be talking about why it is problematic, what the author is doing... I think that a lot of times what book banning comes down to is because people don’t want to face uncomfortable truths; they don’t want to accept that they might have to reorient their view on the world.”
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DECEMBER 2025
THE UNION
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Competitive tetris games builds community, opens unique opportunities for MHS students By Ryan Truong
There are a handful of students at school who make up a niche community of Tetris enthusiasts. According to Owen Chen, former president of MHS’s Tetris Club, Tetris is a dedicated hobby which they take up in their free time. Within this community, there are some passionately competing online and ranking nationally, with others having run the school’s former Tetris Club. Senior Henry Duewer started playing Tetris during his freshman year of high school, having been introduced to the game by a friend, he said. Although Duewer started playing casually, it quickly became a dedicated pursuit for him as he learned new mechanics and got better at the game, and he soon switched from tetris.com to the more competitive site, Tetr. io, he said. “I started playing three years ago, but wasn’t really good at first,” Duewer said. “Now on
standard Tetris I can go over a million points, which is more than three times harder.” As the years progressed, he steadily rose in the game’s Tetra League ranking system, now becoming one of the top players in the country, Duewer said. He describes himself as being incredibly efficient at the game, Duewer added. “I’m in the top 300 in America and top 1,800 worldwide,” Duewer said. “At my peak, I was mid-U rank, which is roughly the top 5% of players on the platform.” Duewer’s interest in competitive Tetris stems mainly from enjoying the challenge and game, he said. The game is very skill-based, and it’s the skill and practice required to play the game that keeps him motivated, he added. “I just play because it’s fun,” Duewer said. “Part of it is to compete with my friends, but I don’t really care about my rank personally. I honestly want to go to UCLA because they have a Tetris team, and I want to see how I do there.”
Beyond just competitive matches, Duewer also practices thorough warm-up sessions and casual matches, he said. His routines through Tetris have also influenced his academic and personal growth, he added. “I like that it’s something I can dedicate myself to, and I can see my improvement in,” Duewer said. “It’s very motivating in that way. It’s nice to have something that I can continuously work on, continuously dedicate myself to, and see the results of my progress.” Senior Owen Chen, a close friend of Duewer, helped build the Tetris community at school when he founded the school’s Tetris club as a freshman, he said. He served as the club’s president until the club disbanded at the end of sophomore year, he said. “I’m a pretty big Tetris enthusiast,” Chen said. “We held quite a few tournaments in the club. We also held a tournament with a high school in Reno. It was with their Tetris club. Both of our
clubs had several people competing with each other. ” Through competitive Tetris, Chen opened the door to many opportunities to connect with top players worldwide, he said. This included meeting competitors from several places internationally, such as Vietnam, Japan, and Malaysia, he added. “I was on an online Tetris game show in Vietnam,” Chen said. “It was streamed through a Twitch channel named TetrisVietnam. I got to meet the top Vietnamese Tetris player. I met the number one (player) in Japan, too. He was cool.” Even though the club eventually disbanded due to declining attendance, it offered students a good space to bond over their shared love of Tetris, he said. “It connected people that actually did come to the meetings,” Chen said. “Some people went. Some people didn’t go. We all felt connected, though.”
Senior Jeremiah Finuliar, the Tetris club’s former vice president, co-founded the club and quickly became part of the environment, he said. Finuliar was new to Tetris, but took up the game once he created the club, and he continues to play it weekly even after the club dissolved, he added. “It’s a great game,” Finuliar said. “I see it as a way to stop thinking, and you might think that’s counterintuitive. But from the perspective of a Tetris player, it’s less about heavy thinking and more about good strategy.” Finuliar said that the club only averaged around seven to ten students attending meetings at any given time, with many more having initially signed up. Yet, despite its short run, the club helped some students meet and connect over a shared interest, he said. “It was very chill,” Finuliar said. “The fact that we all play Tetris was kind of what held us together. In the end, it really felt like a big friend group.”
Seniors prepare for future careers through SVCTE program By Shivani Arun
Some students take advantage of courses offered at The Silicon Valley Career Technical Education Center (SVCTE) in San Jose. This program, available to seniors at MHS, offers specialized technical education that prepares students for college and their future careers in careers ranging from dental assisting to law enforcement to firefighting. Senior Logan Nixon is currently in the Fire Science and First Responder program at SVCTE. The program operates on either a morning or afternoon schedule, and Nixon, who is on the morning schedule, arrives at school at 6:30 a.m. and returns in time for 4th, 5th, and sixth period, he said. “There’s a designated bus that helps you there, so it’s easy,” Nixon said. “All you have to do is show up on time.” Nixon had already been training to be a firefighter for 5 or 6 years, and thought the SVCTE program would be a good program to join and gain experience from, he said. “My favorite part of the program is how hands-on it is,” Nixon said. “It’s hard for me to learn in an environment where only information is being fed to me. In SVCTE, we get experience, and we don’t only read books.” A typical day in Nixon’s program starts at 7:30 a.m., when he begins with classwork, hands-on
lab work, and then physical training, he said. “For learning CPR, we would watch a video on it, read a little bit in the book, and then we would go practice it in the lab,” Nixon said. “Then, we would do a little bit of physical training, like running and push ups,” Nixon said. SVCTE gives him experience that he wouldn’t have otherwise gotten, Nixon said. Being in the program has taught him a lot more compared to his friends who also want to work as a firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT), but aren’t in SVCTE, he added. “I would definitely recommend SVCTE to anyone who’s interested,” Nixon said. “There’s a lot more than firefighting. There’s welding. There’s an auto shop. I recommend it for anyone who’s interested in going to any line of work.” Senior Ryan Umana Lopez is in a program called medical assisting, where he has hands-on training in such skills, as taking vital signs and drawing blood and giving injections. “Normally, we take two vitals on two patients in the class,” Lopez said. “We take pulse, respiration, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, temperature, height and weight. We’re also starting to do eye exams on how to test colorblindness. We also have to be very professional on how to add chief complaints, date of birth, full
Logan Nixon| THE UNION
Logan Nixon rescues a lab dummy as practice for Emergency Medicial Technican (EMT) class, in prepration for becoming a firefighter.
name, why they came in – things like that.” Career wise, Umana would like to major in biomedical engineering, then go to medical school, Lopez said. In his program, the students are encouraged to and taught where to find internships based on the speciality they want to go into, he added. “Right now, I’m researching urgent care, as I want to experience everything and be in a fastpaced environment,” Lopez said. “I have an interview coming up with Silicon Valley Medical Center. I have another interview in January for Action Urgent Care. We will definitely be seeing actual patients and doing everything that we have been trained for.” Fatima Kakaub studies medical science/health careers at SVCTE. She plans on being a doctor, with a specialization in general, or family medicine, Kakaub said. “This course teaches a lot of the fundamental medical practices and procedures that you’ll have to know regardless of where you go in the health care field,” Kakaub said. “So I think it sets a strong foundation for me.” Many of the students in her program are from other schools in San Jose, Kakaub said. There is a sense of community between the people in her program, as they are all going for a similar career field, she added. “When you walk into the classroom on the first day, you really don’t know anyone in there,” Kakaub said. “But it’s really interesting to get to know people and to see how different people are all trying to do the same thing or go into a similar field.” One of her favorite aspects of the program are the professors, Kakaub said. “The teachers there really care about uplifting you and making sure that you can really reap the benefits of their class, and SVCTE in general,” Kakaub said. “They’re really helpful, and they really want you to do well.” The program itself is free, creating less of a burden on students, Nixon said. He received numerous certifications, including a CPR certification, that he otherwise wouldn’t have received for free. “I think people should really take advantage of how it’s free and try to join SVTCE if they can, just to get ahead and be more prepared for college,” Nixon said. “I know a lot of people are worried about not passing college, and I think SVCTE has given me more confidence that I’m going to pass college.”
Courtesy of Allie Klaydman
Students across the U.S attend a class on picking yearbook themes.
Yearbook travels for Nashville conference By Angelrain Bacungan
Yearbook adviser Tricia Brownstein and six of her students attended the annual conference held by the Journalism Education Association (JEA), held this year in Nashville took place from Nov. 13-15. The conference was a great opportunity for students to learn yearbook and journalism skills to help improve their publications, Brownstein said. “A lot of these courses are student-run, so the event gave students a chance to empower themselves, and also allow them to be around a whole bunch of people their own age, and learn together,” Brownstein said. The event was a national conference for Journalism, so students of both Journalism and Yearbook could attend, Brownstein said. The event was mainly student populated, but there were advisors there, she added. The event was “really cool, because it’s one of the only conventions I’ve seen where it’s mostly all students, and they’re from all over the country,” Brownstein said. There were a variety of presentations at the conference, yearbook co-editor-in-chief Allie Klaydman said. Klaydman had the opportunity of presenting twice at the conference, once with herself and once with the other editor-in-chief, she added. “I did a presentation about professional and photo-journalistic photography, and it was more like journalistic photography,” Klaydman said. “I also did a presentation on how to build the dream yearbook team, and how we at MHS yearbook have built a collaborative group of students where we all have a great place to connect and collaborate together.”
The application process to present at the conference was long and tedious, Klaydman said. She had to create an online application and describe what she would present, and wait for it to be accepted, she added. “They only want certain people to present,” Klaydman said. “So it was really scary, because I had to be like, ‘Hey, I’m this one girl from Milpitas High School, and I think I’m worthy enough to present at your conference.’” Freshman yearbook student Vicky Chan attended the conference because she wanted to be more involved with her yearbook class, Chan said. She plans to take the class for all four years of high school, and believed that attending the event would teach her skills that would help improve the school’s yearbook, she added. “Yearbook means preserving memory for students and also teachers in MHS, allowing them to remember what happened in school years when they cannot,” Chan said. Chan learned a lot of things from the event, she said. She learned topics such as the emphasis of team building, she said. “I learned that team building is important, and it’s important because a yearbook is basically just a huge group project, and you can’t get anything done unless people communicate well and trust each other,” Chan said. “That allows the entire book to be better, because everyone is working together instead of separately.” Brownstein thinks that more students should attend these conferences, Brownstein said. “It’s an opportunity to learn about a lot of different things that are related to not just yearbook and journalism stuff,” Brownstein said. “It’s a really unique opportunity.”
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THE UNION
DECEMBER 2025
LIFESTYLE
Bay Area sites host wide variety of holiday festivities Hot chocolate levels up flavors By Adit Singh, Marie De Vré, Reina Tam
Christmas is around the corner, but many people who don’t want to travel far might still want to do something special for the holidays. There are many fun local events and memorable times to be had in Santa Clara County. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, want flexible planning, and don’t want to get so exhausted from the stress of being away from home, then these are the perfect places to go during the holiday season. Christmas In The Park: Christmas in the Park is located outdoors at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San José. The celebration includes “over 40 musical and animated exhibits, glittering lights, and a 65-foot illuminated Christmas tree,” according to Christmas in the Park’s official website. Walkways are lined with trees decorated by families and local schools and organizations. In addition, Christmas in the Park features a very popular hot chocolate stand along with other warm snacks and drinks for sale. Entrance to Christmas in the Park is free, and the celebration is a winter wonderland of lights, music, and Christmas spirit—all full of joy for the whole family. Downtown Ice: Every winter, downtown San José unveils an outdoor ice skating rink located near Christmas in the Park. Families are required to pay admission, including the cost of rental skates, but the prices are
relatively affordable. The downtown Ice rink is a family-friendly environment, which also makes it perfect for friends and couples who want to spend a night out and enjoy the holiday season. The rink limits the amount of time people are allowed on the ice, so it’s never overcrowded. DOCA Festival tour: The DOCA (Discovery of Cre-
Willow Glen neighborhood is filled with glittering lights and props around the holidays. The neighborhood is known for its numerous streets filled with elaborate decorations ranging from gigantic reindeer to families passing out candy canes to encourage the holiday spirit. You can bring your friends and family to the neighborhood and enjoy beautiful holi-
ative Art) holiday light tour, also known as the San José Holiday Lights, is a grand festival full of holiday lights and decor located in San José, just next to the Children’s Discovery Museum. According to the festival’s official website, docafestival.com, the festival features six magical zones, iconic Christmas trees, and over 40 photo-worthy attractions. Ticket prices are on the more expensive side, with general admission priced at $30 on the weekend. However, the festival has numerous special events, including a Christmas cosplay day on Dec. 25 and a celebration on New Year’s Eve, according to the festival’s website. This stunning display of lights is an enchanting 10-minute walk from Christmas in the Park and the ice rink. So, a trip to the holiday lights can be perfectly combined with the other two festivals in San José. Willow Glen neighborhood: Part of central San José, the
day lights and absorb yourself into a Christmas wonderland. San Francisco Botanical Gardens: For the first time, the San Francisco Botanical Gardens is hosting its own winter splendor: Lightscape. According to the Botanical Garden’s website, gggp.org, the event is a “mile-long trail of light and color.” Lights are woven throughout the garden’s stunning displays of nature, which highlight the garden’s natural beauty. Pricing is more expensive than other local holiday events, but prices vary depending on when you schedule your visit to the gardens. Going on the off-peak hours saves you money while still delivering a stunning light show for you and your family to enjoy. Overall, there are plenty of local events where you and your close friends and family can go to celebrate the holiday season, and enjoy the holiday ambience in the air.
By Namana Balakrishna
Hot chocolate is a staple drink of not only the holiday season, but winter as a whole. One of the most common ways people make regular hot chocolate fancier is by replacing hot water with hot milk, adding whipped cream, or finishing with marshmallows on top. However, even this combination can become stale. There are many different ways you can transform your hot chocolate just by adding a few extra ingredients. Here are a few simple recipes you can try to recreate for the holidays. Vanilla Extract: This recipe is simple, but not my personal favorite. Vanilla extract is easily mixed with hot chocolate. I added about a teaspoon, but you can adjust to your own personal tastes. However, the scent is hidden by the chocolate. Taste-wise, there is a slight sweetness to it, like marshmallows; however, the flavor isn’t very strong. You may consider adding more vanilla extract if you want a stronger flavor. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try adding other types of syrups and extracts to experiment with different flavors. Cinnamon: Compared to the vanilla extract, cinnamon has a much stronger
flavor that stands out within the hot chocolate. Not only does it smell nice, but it also gives the hot chocolate a slightly spicy aftertaste. You could play around with this and try out other spices like nutmeg, pumpkin spice, or even turmeric. However, I think cinnamon has the strongest flavor out of all these spices, as you can actually tell the difference between this and a regular cup of hot chocolate. Peanut Butter: Out of the three, adding peanut butter is my favorite way to elevate a simple hot chocolate. It makes the hot chocolate taste like a blended Reese’s peanut butter cup and gives the drink a nutty aftertaste. Getting the peanut butter to mix with the hot chocolate isn’t easy and requires a lot of persistence, but the end result is worth it. For people who are allergic to peanut butter, you can substitute other nut butters. I also tried adding Nutella, which made the drink very rich and chocolatey. It was almost overpowering, effectively removing the typical hazelnut taste Nutella is known for. But to each their own. These are only a few simple ways to level up your hot chocolate. You should feel free to experiment with the drink and see what ingredients and flavors work best for you!
Having fun without spending money is possible Techniques to help avoid brain rot By Joseph Graham
Many people believe you need to spend money to have a good time. Whether you’re a couch potato, an outdoor enthusiast, or a mixture of both, you’ve likely fallen victim to this belief at some point. A common issue today, especially with the younger generation, is that everyone is chasing stimulation. Generally, the more stimulating activities cost money and are marketed to keep the user as engaged as possible. However, many don’t realize that there are many engaging and valuable activities that don’t involve the endless pursuit of dopamine. When thinking about how to spend your free time, consider taking a step back and understanding that sometimes the simpler things may be more fruitful. You can head to a friend’s house just to hang out, or go out and walk around with your friends. I’ve found that some of the best memories I’ve made with my friends were the result of a few text messages and a meetup just to talk or play some random free games. Well now that you’re at your friends house, you still might be stumped. What can you do other than mindlessly scroll through TikTok or Instagram? Board games can be incredibly fun if you’re playing the right ones
with the right people. You can also play various other party games like charades and mafia, or even online party games like Gartic Phone and Skribbl.io. Maybe your friends can’t hang out. If this is the case, fear not, for there is a huge variety o f py things you can do to occuyour free time. You can start reading a book. It can be any genre at all; not all books have to be academic. Everyone needs a break from their devices. We have great public and school libraries, and you can even check out books online. If reading isn’t your cup of tea, and you’re looking for something a bit more active, you should look into learning a new skill. There is an immense amount of free content available on the internet that you can take advantage of to learn something new. If you have even the slightest interest in something, you should explore it further and see if it’s truly something you’d like to do. You can take a free online coding course, learn photography through YouTube, or even watch fitness videos to exercise more. Other fun new things you can try are crocheting, learning a new language, writing, or drawing. These are all indoor activities that require little to no experience to get started, as well as little to no
money. If you’re a more outdoorsy person, then you can try hiking, running or stargazing. Geocaching—an activity where people all over the world use a GPS device (smartphones included) to find hidden containers known as caches—might also appeal to you. Is your house cluttered with things you don’t really need? You should consider running a yard sale. This can be a surprisingly fun activity, rediscovering old belongings and being able to socialize with your neighbors. It may also make you some extra cash. There are plenty of things you can do without spending money. The best way to find something to do, if it appeals to you at all, is to go out and do it. A half-baked plan may prove more rewarding than you’d expect. Having fun without spending money isn’t magic. The world is full of interesting, low-cost things to do; you just have to slow down enough to notice them.
My favourite film that came out this year was “The Phoenician Scheme” by Wes Anderson. This was my introduction to Anderson’s peculiar filming style, and I enjoyed the artistic liberties he took. The color schemes, the way the cameras panned and zoomed around characters, and the acting style were unconventional but made the film more entertaining.
By Nia Martin
“Brain rot” is a term to describe repetitive or low-quality content often used for entertainment purposes. But how do you avoid it? Brain rot is all over social media, and it’s almost impossible to go on social media or talk to a friend without hearing it. It’s grown into people’s daily lives and jokes as well, negatively affecting the younger generation . Brain rot first took off in 2024, when terms such as “sigma,” “rizz,” and “delulu” led to young people overusing them in their daily lives. In studies from sources such as Inspira Health Network, reports from these studies show that brain rot has been linked to cause emotional desensitization and overstimulation. Generation Z and Generation Alpha are impacted the most by brain rot, which can negatively influence behavior and performance. Some of its effects include depression, anxiety, and weaker critical thinking skills. Brain rot has also been linked to behaviors such as doomscrolling, a large consumption of negative media or content. Another effect of brain rot is reduced grey matter in the brain, according to an article from Newport Institute called “How Brain Rot Behavior Affects Young Adults.” The article explains how loss of grey matter causes memory loss, cognitive impairment and even depression. However, there are
ways to reduce brain rot consumption to create a healthy mindset. Limiting screen time is one of the best ways to reduce brain rot consumption, as you can cultivate offline hobbies and prioritize mental well-being by prioritizing sleep over late-night scrolling. If you are struggling to avoid brain rot, some starting points might be silencing unimportant notifications, following content you want to see while avoiding accounts that trigger negative emotions, and taking temporary breaks from social media. Sites YouTube and TikTok have features such as “not interested” and “content preference” which allow you to change your algorithm to stop showing brain rot content that may appear in your personalized feed. To add on, there are issues such as hearing it in public spaces can make it a bit hard to adjust to avoiding the topic. Your friends or peers may talk about brain rot, but engaging in different topics can help solve the issue. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical wellbeing, which is why managing consumption of brain rot is important to start a healthy mindset. The big takeaway to avoid brain rot is to limit your time on the internet and create good habits that allow you to live without constant engagement from your phone. Instead, you can use that time to learn lifelong skills like new hobbies or improve your social life.
The fifth season of “Slow Horses,” the British spy thriller series based on the “Slough House” novels by Mick Herron, did not disappoint. I’ve followed “Slow Horses” since its first season for its black comedy, action-packed pace, brilliant framing and cinematography, and the depth of its characters (so far, Coe is my favorite). My only complaint? Six episodes per season is nowhere near enough.
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DECEMBER 2025
THE UNION
LIFESTYLE
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Teens can build effective skincare routines with simple steps, affordable products By Sowmya Sundar
As teenagers, we are constantly exposed to advertisements featuring skincare products leading to dramatic transformations, of acne-ridden skin turning glowing and immaculate. We are led to believe that the only way to achieve clear skin is through an expensive fifteen-step skincare routine. In reality, for growing teenagers, this approach can be counterproductive, since many of these products are not dermatologist-recommended and chemicals can be harsh on skin. If you focus on just a few essential products while prioritizing your health, you can effectively achieve glowing, healthy skin. The most important step to building a skincare routine is learning more about your skin and its needs. The American Academy of Dermatology recognizes five types of skin: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin. One popular method identified by the Academy is the “watch and wait method.” Cleanse your skin with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry,
and observe it after 30 minutes. Shiny skin means oily; flat, rough means dry; shine around your T-zone, the central part of your face, means combination; and hydrated and not dry and oily is normal. After identifying your skin type, it’s time to create your routine. All you need is a few core products: a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Cleansers are liquid products that remove sweat and dirt from your skin. There are many types of cleansers, including but not limited to gel, foam, cream, and oil cleansers. If you are someone who applies makeup regularly, you might require a strong oil-based cleanser, while if you are someone with sensitive skin, you might instead reach for a gentle foaming cleanser. Research what cleansers are best suited for your skin type and needs. Toners are lightweight liquids with many different uses. According to The Ordinary, toners not only remove the dirt left behind after cleansing, but also provide specific skincare benefits, includ-
My favorite film released this year is Marvel’s “Thunderlts*.” After the original Avengers disbanded, I was curious see how new heroes would step in to fill their shoes – and ey did. This movie is an excellent blend of heartbreak, lf-reflection, and comedy, with perfectly balanced flashcks and impeccable action sequences. I enjoyed the banr between characters and loved watching how the unlikely roes learned to work together.
ing exfoliation, hydration, barrier support, and more. Toners are categorized as hydrating, exfoliating, and balancing. If you have especially dry skin, you should select a hydrating toner, while those with acne-prone or oily skin need exfoliating toners. Toners contain a variety of chemicals that may not be effective on every person’s skin. When trying toners, limit yourself to one at a ply it time and apfor a
few weeks before judging if you want to add it to your routine. During the winter, when the air
is dry, it is especially crucial to pick a moisturizer that properly hydrates and protects your skin. Moisturizers do not appear as distinct as other skincare products, but each products’ ingredients will affect you differently depending on your skin type. It is important to remember that moisturizer is essential even if you have oily skin, or if your skin doesn’t feel dry, as it doesn’t only hydrate your skin but improves the health of your skin and reduces signs of aging, according to Benson Dermatology. Finally, wearing sunscreen daily is essential regardless of the weather. It not only protects your skin from sunburn but also reduces the risk of skin cancer and premature aging, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. There are two main types of sunscreen: mineral and chemical. Mineral sunscreens
My favorite game released this year is the action-adventure role-playing game “Where Winds Meet.” Set in 10th-century China, the game offers stunning art design that you’d expect from a $60 game, except this game is free. The player-environment combat is challenging but immersive, and the story pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Even better, this game is still releasing new content for free, including constant development of the main story.
have a heavier texture to create a physical barrier, while chemical sunscreens are lighter and use a chemical reaction to prevent UV damage, according to the Cleveland Institute of Health. Choose a sunscreen of your preferred type and SPF (Sun Protection Factor), depending on the amount of heat exposure you have daily. I personally prefer chemical sunscreens, since mineral sunscreens tend to leave a white cast that is especially noticeable on darker skin. In addition to using these core products, remember that managing your stress, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated play important roles in how clear your skin looks and feels. In addition, we all have different genetics, and some of us may be predisposed to specific serious skin conditions. If that’s the case, never self-medicate with products; always consult a dermatologist for advice. After taking the time to understand your skin’s needs, buying the right products, and following healthy habits, achieving clear and healthy skin becomes realistic and doable.
My favorite film this year was the animated “Chainsawman: Reze Arc.” The art style was phenomenal, and the sound design and story were captivating. It was like watching a Quentin Tarantino film, but with a unique artistic flair. I enjoyed the emphasis on human emotion and the connections between characters — it made the story more engaging and relatable to its audience.
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THE UNION
DECEMBER 2025
Formula 1: Beyond races By Jacob Huang
Formula 1 (F1), the highest class of singleseater auto racing, is widely considered one of the most dangerous and difficult sports due to the amount of physical and mental demands required of the racer. However, people believe that F1 is not a sport because of the assumption that it’s just “cars going in circles.” F1’s requirements for training exceeds many if not almost all of the sports in the world. This is due to the amount of gravity-force (G-force) drivers will need to deal with in the race, going up to 4-6 G-force for 90 minutes to two hours straight. To put this into perspective, according to the article G-Force and Formula One: Explained by Mercedes (another team in F1), when George Russel, a driver for the Mercedes team who weighs 70kg, zooms through turn one in the japanese grand prix, he will experience 350kg of force. Currently there are 10 teams competing in F1 (The max being212), consisting of famous companies such as Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes. In order to win the championship in F1, the drivers need to get the most points added up throughout all the races by finishing in the top 10 for each one. If the driver isn’t able to do this, he will get zero points. While it is true that F1 involves cars going in circles, F1 racing has many rivalries between drivers that make it interesting to watch. A great example of this is the rivalry between Max Verstappen, the current top F1 driver, and Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion driver, that started to build up in 2015 and had its peak in 2021. The rivalry included intense grand prix races for the world champion title between the two, each of them winning left and right. To add on, they also had multiple crashes, one notably being
in the British Grand Prix race. In the end, Verstappen ended this rivalry by winning the 2021 F1 world championship, making it his first-ever world championship out of the four he’s won. Despite being an amazing driver, Verstappen’s streak of four world championships came to an end when he lost by just 2 points in 2025 to Lando Norris, a member of the Mclaren team. However, many say that this was a win for Verstappen because of the impossible comeback in the end, considering he was 104 points behind Oscar Piastri, another McLaren driver, after the Dutch grand prix. Ever since F1 started, the cars have evolved, improving performance, driven by the advanced aerodynamics and powerful engines. However, not only do the cars need to be fast and handle the intense races, they also need to protect the drivers. In 2018, the halo was introduced to F1, which is the part that surrounds the driver’s head. This little structure can withstand 12 tons, which makes it very durable, protecting the driver during crashes of all sorts. However, before the halo was introduced, many tragedies occurred because of a lack of protection. During the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, former F1 driver Jules Bianchi had a fatal crash into a mobile crane, hitting his head at 78 mph. This unfortunate tragedy and many others have led to many changes in F1 racing. Despite the many dangers from driving a car at 180 plus miles per hour at sharp turns, many young drivers all start from go-karting and continue slowly building up to F4 and hopefully achieve their dream of getting into Formula 1. Their determination shows how demanding the sport truly is, both physically and mentally.
Car Culture
Union’s Performance +
Rally Drift Hybrid Limos
Auto-racing is closer than you think By Natalie Chen
Auto racing has always been a rich man’s game. Victors celebrate with champagne showers, golden trophies, and Rolexes flashing on their wrists. Social media algorithms feed us posts of million-dollar supercars on the Rue de Monaco, yacht parties in Port Hercules, and celebrity guests waving the checkered flag — all of which paint the illusion of an unattainable reality. But the world of racing is closer to us than we think. In fact, the Northern California club racing scene is neither exclusive nor glamorous. Engines are held together by duct tape and sheer force of will, and asking a mechanic “What’s the race strategy?” gets you a hearty laugh and the response: “This ain’t F1. The strategy is to keep all four tires on track.” That down-to-earth quality is part of what makes the club racing community more approachable — and why it’s the easiest gateway into the larger motorsports industry. What many people don’t realize is that most major California racetracks
— like Laguna Seca in Salinas, Sonoma Raceway, Buttonwillow in Kern County, or Thunderhill in Willows — are free to enter unless there’s an ongoing pro event. On a regular day, you can just drive in, watch cars, and talk to people. If you’re looking for a job, an internship, a discount on your next car, or to make industry connections, talking to professionals is always helpful. On a regular day at a local track, you’ll find motorsports photographers, race engineers, pro and amateur racing drivers, and more CEOs than you can count. Racing is a bold industry, so it’s better to be bold and establish yourself early. But what if you actually want to race? Major clubs, like the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), offer racing school in the spring for around $3,000 per person, plus the price of renting a track car and an instructor. The SCCA’s racing school is often recommended, as you’ll leave the 3-day course with a competition license that allows you to compete at any SCCA-sanctioned event in America,provided you pass, of course.
Skip Barber Racing School in Salinas is another good option for locals; it offers advanced coaching, Formula racing schools, and United States Auto Club (USAC) licenses — albeit for a heftier price, about $8,000-10,000 for a 3-day course. Having a racing license further opens doors to options such as arrive-anddrive services, which are offered by many track rental businesses. Some good local options include Larry Oka Racing, Cerini Motorsports, and A+ Racing. Rates and the extent of services may vary, but in general, you get a track-ready car, a team of mechanics, radio communication with the team during the race, and even telemetry data and onboard footage from your laps to review postrace. So if you’re looking to kickstart a career in motorsports, the NorCal club racing scene is your best bet. But first, you have to get off your couch and put yourself in the driver’s seat. As Rick Mears, 4-time winner of the Indy 500, once said: “To finish first, you must first finish.”
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DECEMBER 2025
+ Tech Magazine
THE UNION
9
Culture through world’s finest, exotic cars By Shrihan Sham
It’s been more than a century since cars were invented. While all cars have the same function to move, what really stands out is the way cars are designed and also the price tag. However, what really makes car enthusiasts happy is the way these cars are engineered. With the use of advanced and loud engines, light materials like carbon fibre, and advanced technology, these vehicles are made to perform beyond ordinary limits. The engines used for these exotic cars are the most significant difference between an exotic car and a regular one. Most exotic cars rely on big engines, such as V10s or V12s, that both rev very high and produce a huge amount of horsepower. For instance, Ferrari’s high-revving engines are famous for passing the RPM (Revolutions per minute) levels that most normal cars are unable to. Similarly, McLaren uses a twin-turbo V8 engine, which balances the weight and the power of the car. Even with a good engine, the car’s design really matters. Aerodynamics
plays a very important role in any ex- be beneficial, cheaper, and a bit quieter. otic car. These vehicles are designed so Meanwhile, Lotus is a car manufacturer that drag is minimized and downforce from the United Kingdom that is comis maximized, which keeps them very pletely committed to developing fully stable at high speeds. This is important electric performance cars. With this because the slightest change can cause change, the future exotic cars have a the car to crash. combination of super high performance The variety of materials used for ex- and next-generation tech. otic cars is very advanced and light- Overall, exotic cars have really shaped weight. Most of these cars use carbon the automobile industry by providing fibre since it is strong and lightweight hundreds of options to choose from, at the same time. By reducing weight, like cars that focus on speed and perforcar engineers can increase the vehicle’s mance, cars that focus on luxury, or cars acceleration, braking, and handling ca- that focus on both. pabilities. These material selections tell one of the major reasons why exotic cars not only have a quick acceleration but also much better handling compared to regular cars. Carbon fibre is expensive, and therefore is the reason behind the high prices of expensive cars. An interesting thing about the exotic car industry is technology has completely reshaped the way those cars are engineered. An example is the Ferrari SF90, a car that demonstrated that using electric motors for performance can
Cruising through past cars
By Marie De Vre
Being able to see the cars you idolize in real life is an experience unlike any other. Fortunately, California has many automobile museums for car enthusiasts to visit, including one of the best in the country: the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The museum houses over 300 automobiles in total, with over 120 cars on permanent display, according to the Petersen website. The collection includes vintage Ford and Corvette models, famous cars from movies such as the Batmobile and the DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” historic Formula 1 and other motorsport vehicles, and countless others. The Petersen Automotive Museum truly has something for everyone. The Petersen Museum also has a “Vault” where additional vehicles are stored. Cars are parked in the museum’s basement, and visitors can pay extra to visit this section of the museum. I did so and believe it is well worth it, as some of the most unique cars are stored in the Vault. I also paid for a tour from one of the museum guides, and the guide took the time to showcase his favorite cars and explain the stories of the various automobiles in the Vault. The museum also features special exhibits, such as the “Totally Awesome! Cars and Cultures of the ‘80s and ‘90s”
currently on display, alongside its fixed displays, and there is something for everyone to see. Museum tickets are expensive, but visiting the museum is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and is overall well worth it. Luckily, there is a perfect museum for historic car enthusiasts in Danville, just a 30-minute drive from Milpitas. The Blackhawk Museum features a smaller collection of historic cars and houses many one-of-a-kind models, including Ferraris, Duesenbergs, and custom builds. I really enjoyed this museum, with its entry price of just $15 for a student ticket and a wide array of exhibits. Included with the ticket are two free docent-led tours, one of them in the auto gallery. The tour was enjoyable, and I learned extra tidbits of info not included in the cars’ descriptions. Docents are also roaming the galleries and are there to answer any questions you may have. While the collection of automobiles in the museum is limited, I think the Blackhawk Museum is still an excellent outing for the whole family. Overall, there are many routes you can take to see your favorite cars, but I highly encourage any car enthusiast to take advantage of the best car museums that California has to offer.
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THE UNION
DECEMBER 2025
ENTERTAINMENT
‘Zootopia 2’ delivers heartwarming return ‘Wicked’ sequel delivers rushed plot RATING: 5 out of 5
Consequently, there were lots of themes that should’ve been a more fleshed out. Although they By Alice Nguyen would diverge from the original Broadway musical, it would also Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and make up for the pitfalls that the Ariana Grande (Glinda the Good) second act introduced. returned on Nov. 21 in “Wicked: The authoritarian themes in For Good,” the sequel to the mu- the movie were incorporated sical movie “Wicked.” “Wicked: masterfully albeit briefly. HowFor Good” is based on the sec- ever, if there was one theme that ond act of the musical, follow- the movie developed correctly, ing the lives of Elphaba Thropp, it would be the lasting impact the Wicked Witch of the West, of friendships as seen through and Glinda Upland after Glinda and Elphaba. Elphaba decides to make Most of the actors gave it her life’s mission to fight good performances, but against the Wizard of Oz. none stuck out to me as The two movies are based MOVIE much as Grande’s portrayon the Broadway musical REVIEW al of Glinda. It felt like she “Wicked,” written by Winknew the character through nie Holzman and composed by and through, down to her coStephen Schwartz. medic timing and mannerisms. The need to explain so many of However, Michelle Yeoh’s porthe backstories led to the mov- trayal of Madame Morrible was ie feeling rushed. For instance, extremely one dimensional. Nessa Thropp, Elphaba’s sister, Erivo and Grande’s vocals were is named The Wicked Witch of incredible and the saving grace of the East with no explanation, the songs in the movie. However, and given barely any screen time this movie’s songs fell short of before she is killed off. It was cer- the first’s quality. tainly a shock when Elphaba’s “Wicked: For Good” had big seemingly innocent sister from shoes to fill after the prequel the first movie was suddenly giv- and unfortunately failed to do en this fate in the sequel. so. The incoherent storyline and The Cowardly Lion had a few lack of whimsical feeling caused scenes in the first movie before it to fall short. Erivo and Grande randomly appearing again, lead- were one of the only redeeming ing me to try my hardest to recall aspects of this movie with their where this mammal even came performances and charisma. from. One of the movie’s bigFor fans of the prequel, it gest pitfalls was that it tried so would be a good idea to watch hard to fit into the canon of “The “Wicked: For Good” simply to Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” which know how everything in the storesulted in a barely coherent sto- ry was ultimately resolved in the ryline. end. RATING: 4 out of 5
By Tejus Karadi
Disney sequels do not always get the same level of praise as the originals, but the animated film Zootopia 2 is a major exception. Almost 10 years after the first movie came out, the sequel returns to its famous animal-filled city with the same energy, humor, and heart as the original. The sequel does not Courtesy of Heute copy the original but instead exJudy Hopps (right) and Nick Wilde (left) flee from a cliffside home. pands on it in a meaningful and exciting way. chitectural styles, and unique movie but go in a new direction, Once again, the story follows animal populations that add to which keeps the story feeling Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, the world. We get a closer look at fresh. perhaps one of Disney’s best how different groups of animals The movie’s visuals were stuncharacter pairs. Their perlive their daily lives, how the ning. The animation is smoothsonalities are still strong. city is organized, and how er and more detailed than in the Judy is determined and each district plays a role in first film, especially in the backhopeful, while Nick keeps the bigger world of Zootopia. grounds and lighting. The action the clever and sarcastic The movie also touches on scenes are exciting, and the hucharm that made him so MOVIE parts of Zootopia’s history mor is strong throughout, with REVIEW popular in the first film. and how the city has grown clever jokes and visual details Their partnership faces over time, which makes the for viewers to notice. The songs new challenges, including in- world feel deeper and more in the movie are also well done creased pressure at work and complete. and fit with each scene, adding moments when they question The sequel also contrasts with even more emotion and energy. how well they truly understand the original in relation to its Overall, Zootopia 2 is a suceach other. These situations themes. While the first movie cessful sequel that respects what show new layers of their friend- focused a lot on prejudice and made the first movie great while ship. assumptions, Zootopia 2 focus- adding more depth to the charZootopia 2 also builds on the es on ideas such as community acters and. It feels like a natuoriginal by expanding the world growth and what it means for ral continuation rather than a of the city. The film takes view- a city to adapt when new situa- completely new film. I enjoyed ers into new districts. These tions enter the picture. These watching this movie and recomareas have distinct climates, ar- themes connect to the original mend seeing it in theaters.
Rise in popularity of gay media By Rain Bacungan
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
“Five Nights At Freddy’s 2” logo in dazzling, sparkling lights, which mimics freddy’s pizzeria’s theme.
‘Five Nights At Freddy’s 2’ lacks fear factor, thrill
a new story that is interesting for both fans and casual watchers alike, and the former group By Jonah Wu may be delighted to know that the movie features Mike utilising The “Five Nights At Freddy’s features within the game, such as 2” movie, released in theaters on the Freddy Mask. We even got to Dec. 5, took the criticisms its pre- see the nightguard from the anidecessor received and improved matronics’ perspective, giving us on them. The film follows Mike an idea of how these killer robots Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), were programmed. The animatronics and scenery Abby Schmidt (Piper Rubio), and Vanessa Shelly (Elizabeth Lail) in were incredibly charming as well. their efforts to survive the mur- There is no doubt that the visuderous Toy and Withered ani- als and sound design are the best matronics while putting together parts of the movie. The buildings what really happened back when are made in a way that feels like William Afton and Henry Emily they’ve been there for decades, first created the Fazbear’s Pizze- and the animatronics move with a weight that the audience can ria franchise. feel, immersing viewers The film opens with a into the world like they are flashback to when the original Fazbear’s Pizzeria was there with the characters open, twisting the events as well. The music box was and characters of the origi- MOVIE also a hauntingly well-done nal games into its own cre- REVIEW recreation of the tune from ative spin that drives the the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 plot of the film. Charlotte Emily, game, reminding fans of whenevthe soul within the Marionette er they had to wind it in the games (Audrey Lynn-Marie), is intro- to keep the Marionette calm. The story of the movie itself duced as the film’s vengeful main villain, and despite Vanessa’s at- was easily understandable even tempts to calm her, she is stuck as someone who knows what in an eternal state of anger and happens in the original FNAF 2. continues to enact her plot for To people who like the games, it could be fun to compare and conrevenge. Scott Cawthorne (Creator of trast the two different narratives. the original game series) and However, for viewers unfamiliar Emma Tammi (Director of the with the plot of the original, it movie) took the games and made could feel like a constant pushRATING: 3 out of 5
and-pull. But in my opinion, the introduction of both new and familiar characters kept enough excitement to maintain the audience’s interest. However, I found that the scares were rather lackluster than what I expected from the promises Cawthon made about the movie. The atmosphere did not have the intensity to lead up to the scares that define the games, and they were rather predictable, taking away from the thrill. The animatronics don’t leap at you as they do in the games, with the exception of the Marionette, which was the only time I was actually startled. The ending of the movie was abrupt as well, leaving the tension between Vanessa and Mike unresolved for the movie’s upcoming sequel and leaving their intertwined character development for the future. Yet overall, I feel that the movie was good as a universe on its own. The end result was not the best direction that it could have been, but it delivered well on the easter eggs and had a plot that was extremely easy to follow. For people who like the games and want to see a movie adaptation of the plot, I’m afraid this won’t fulfill your desires or deliver on what you want. However, it is still an enjoyable experience if you set aside your biases for the original story.
While scrolling on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, you’ve probably come across at least one person talking about the latest gay media or joking about the genre in a positive light. LGBTQ+ media has been banned and discriminated against through censorship in movies, books, comics, and much more; however, in the last couple of months, this genre is now celebrated and loved among many, even among straight people… so what could have driven its sudden rise in popularity? Specifically, the popularity of gay representation through comics and animation has become more prominent within the last few months. Gay representation in the form of Japanese animation or comic media “yuri” and “yaoi” have gained the interest and attention of many, typically among those of members of the LGBTQ+ community or teenagers. Yaoi follows gay romantic or sexual relationships, while yuri focuses on lesbian ones. These specific subgenres can come off as perverse at times due to explicit content within some stories—one of the reasons why they have become popular. However, most yuri or yaoi don’t have to be perverse in order to appeal to its audience; they can instead be put into categories such as slowburn, a slow yet sweet story between two people, or heartbreak, a plotline that follows a tragic end. Yuri and yaoi stories are available for people to read online on sites such as Mangadex, thus increasing their availability. The visual representation and style of these stories allowed for the genre itself to become more popularized; the fact that people are able to witness human relations with some sort of artistic flair draws readers to the story. The variety of stories do not
just cater to sexuality-based topics, but gender identity as well. For example, the animated adaptation of manga artist Tatsuki Fujimoto’s “17-26,” which was released on Nov. 8, 2025 follows the one-chapter mangas he made from ages 17 to 26. The episode “Turned into a Girl Syndrome” focuses on the main character Toshihide who wakes up as a girl and cannot return back to his original gender. The audience can witness his newfound experiences in girlhood, the new dynamics of the relationships with the people he knew, and the internal conflicts he goes through. Toshihide’s journey to self-discovery is not lonesome, as he is accompanied by his friends who still perceive him as what he truly is: a man. His desire to be seen as a boy, despite the way he looks and sounds, is met and followed because of them. The story parallels and encapsulates the experiences that transgender people endure: transphobia, harassment, and fetishization, but also other aspects such as acceptance and love. Transgender people have to deal with the troubles of not being understood by others, thus leading to alienation. Perhaps the most prominent reason for both LGBTQ+ and gender identity media’s sudden surge of popularity is due to the fact that they both empower and give voice to its audience; those who may have been affected by or have experienced homophobia or transphobia are able to have their stories told. Gay media’s newfound prominence enables for people’s experiences to be represented, understood, and shared among a variety of audiences. These stories allow for the freedom of self-expression, the exploration of one’s identity, and a more thorough comprehension of the social struggles that individuals experience.
DECEMBER 2025
THE UNION
ENTERTAINMENT
Plot-driven recap plagues ‘Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution’
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‘The Running Man’ lacks proper characterization one-liners, weak storylines, and lucky coincidences that move the story forward. By Natalie Chen Furthermore, the 2025 adaptation of “The Running Man” “The Running Man” starring seems like a less serious version Glen Powell is a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins “The Hunger of American author Stephen Games” series mixed with Hwang King’s novel “The Running Man.” Dong-hyuk’s “Squid Game” with Unlike the 1987 “The Running the violent entertainment, totalMan” adaptation with Arnold itarian government, individuals Schwarzenegger, the 2025 rendi- who participate in dangerous tion is more faithful to the book activities out of desperation, and takes less of a stylistic twist school-games turned deadly, and on characteristics of King’s char- the brainwashing of the public. Though it tries to carry the acters. Yet, the newer remake same message and doesn’t hit still failed to impress me. Making $16,495,564 on its do- the nail on the head for me, I can mestic opening, according to overlook that because the conIMDbPro, the film was mildly tent of the movie is light-hearted entertaining and packed with and easier for audiences to swalaction, but lacked dimensional low than a serious film created to point out an issue in the world. characters and plot. The warning of media overconThe story follows the sumption in “The Running journey of Ben Richards, Man” 2025 is more sublimplayed by Powell, who is inal. a desperate family man. Another issue that made Richard lives in a totalitarian society and is unable to MOVIE the film poor were the acfind work because he was REVIEW tors. It seemed like Powell and supporting actors were blacklisted for attempting to help his coworkers stay alive. reciting lines rather than being Determined to pull his family one with the film. The lack of out of “the Slumside,” he turns to good acting made many scenes participating in government-op- feel forced because the authenerated violent game shows and ticity of an actor’s emotions is gets roped into “The Running missing, making it hard for the audience to connect to characMan.” This dangerous and popular ters. However, the movie still carries show gives contestants a twelvehour head start to run and hide the warning and message about before elite assassins attempt how dangerous it is for governto kill them. Civilian viewers of ments to control the media and “The Running Man” are encour- therefore its citizens. “The Runaged to report the contestant’s lo- ning Man” 2025, with its satirical cation for money. For every hour nature, keeps this message more Richards survives, he receives subliminal than Stephen King’s money to pull his family out of original novel, where the main purpose is social commentary poverty. However, the story feels over- rather than entertainment with the-top satirical with corny flashy action. RATING: 3 out of 5
RATING: 3 out of 5
By Harold Hong
“Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” — an anime movie that features a recap of the latter half of “Jujutsu Kaisen” (JJK) season 2 and the first two episodes of the story’s Culling Game Saga — was released in American theaters on Dec. 5. The first two episodes are teasers for the rest of JJK season 3, “The Culling Game Part 1,” which will be released in early January 2026. Although I had already watched season 2, I wanted to see the beautifully animated fights on the big screen. However, I was disappointed to see how fast-paced the recap of the Shibuya Incident Courtesy of IMDB was, and how little focus was put “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” poster featuring core cast and scenes. on some fights. Instead of spending more time choreography and fluid anima- from the story implications of on well-choreographed, animat- tion, as those would’ve been more the fight, it was visually stunning. ed fight scenes like Sukuna vs. appreciated on the large screen. This fight fully uses the environMahoraga, which would have Luckily, the second half of the ment of a desolate Shibuya, Jalooked fantastic, the recap movie proved to be its saving pan, with both characters jumpchose to allocate time tograce. Although only two ep- ing around the city and using it as wards plot-driven fights. For isodes, the second half of the their arena. example, Itadori Yuji’s fight movie provided a very satisThe music scores in the Culling against the villain Mahito in MOVIE factory introduction to sea- Game episodes deserve praise Shibuya Station carries a lot REVIEW son 3. The first episode takes for their emotional and engagof significance and characplace immediately after the ing composition. Synths and orter development for Yuji, but it end of the Shibuya Incident. chestral instruments are fused doesn’t work well in a movie. The fights contained in these to form a cinematic atmosphere. An unintended side effect of the two episodes were well-choreo- Glitchy and distorted sounds are recap is that it requires viewers to graphed and colorful. Unique used throughout the soundtrack have prior knowledge of the plot, camera angles and perspectives to create an unsettling ambience, which makes it harder for new- were utilized for these fights, add- a fitting sound for the aesthetic of comers to understand the movie, ing realism. The agile movements JJK. making it hard for them to enjoy of the characters compelled viewOverall, “Jujutsu Kaisen: Exemost of the film. Furthermore, the ers to pay attention to the screen. cution” is weighed down heavily recap jumps right into the middle The most captivating fight in because of its recap portion. If the of the season, and retells every- these episodes is Yuji vs. Yuta. movie were just the first four epthing in non-chronological for- There was a tense atmosphere isodes of “The Culling Game Part mat. Instead, the movie should’ve with this fight, as it felt more like 1,” it would’ve been a better expeemphasized scenes featuring fight a chase rather than a fight. Aside rience.
Top five holiday songs ranked By Lauren Chen
Music has always been a fundamental part of holiday festivities. Christmas celebrations are no different; in fact, there is even a genre of songs dedicated to the jolly holiday. These holiday songs are the best to listen to set the mood this time of year, no matter if you’re doing a simple vacation or celebrating with relatives you haven’t seen in a while. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee: 5/5 The Christmas rockabilly song sung by Brenda Lee is a great song to play during Christmas celebrations. The song captures the enthusiasm of the winter holiday with iconic lines like “everyone dancin’ merrily / in the new old-fashioned way” and “voices singing, let’s be jolly / deck the halls with boughs of holly.” Lee’s upbeat voice and the rock instrumental adds a layer of joyful energy to the song, making a lovely vintage song about the joy of Christmas. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams 4.5/5 Andy Williams’s iconic Christmas song is about the various festivities during the winter. Williams’s grand voice and the loud instrumentals create a great song to usher in the winter holiday season. While the second half of the song mostly consists of backup singers repeating previous lines, the song does a great job of describing fun activities like family gatherings, toasting marshmallows, and caroling. “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms - 4.5/5 Bobby Helms’s rendition of “Jingle Bells,” which was originally
published by James Lord Pierpont in 1857, adds a new rock element. Helms’s version of the song contains a beautiful blend of guitars and Christmas-y bells as he sings about “dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square.” The song is a catchy, rock update to the original song. “Winter Wonderland” by Richard Himber - 4.5/5 Richard Himber’s Christmas song’s lyrics are filled with imagery about the unique visuals of winter. Throughout the song, the singer sings about fun activities during the cold season, such as building snowmen and embracing loved ones by the chimney fire. The symphony of instruments also helps create a whimsical atmosphere. The mixture of all these aspects creates a wonderful song to listen to while, as the song itself says, “walking in a winter wonderland.” “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey - 5/5 In the song, Mariah Carey sings about her desire to be with her lover during Christmas rather than have material goods. While the song starts out slow, it quickly picks up the pace and turns into an energetic ode to celebrating Christmas with loved ones. The song has since left a legacy as one of the most defining Christmas songs, with it reappearing on music charts every December. The song has also inspired a series of yearly videos called “The Defrosting of Mariah Carey,” in which Carey utilizes her high vocal range to usher in the countdown to Christmas as the song plays. The holiday season has arrived, so it’s important to start finding some homely, seasonal Christmas songs to add to your playlist to celebrate.
‘Nuremberg’ immerses viewers in historically accurate film RATING: 4 out of 5
By Ryan Truong
Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, “Nuremberg,” directed by James Vanderbilt, depicts the 1946 Nuremberg Trials in a tense, historically accurate manner. The film brings audiences back in time and immerses them in the trial of infamous war criminals who served on behalf of Nazi Germany. The film, released on Nov. 7, makes a serious,nuanced attempt to portray both sides of the trial and reveals Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons that life is often not just black and A movie poster for “Nuremberg,” directed by James Vanderbilt. white, but grey and between the lines. zi-equivalent actions, given the ing German accent despite the The film largely centers on the right storm of factors. fact that Crowe is Australian. dynamic between Hermann GoerThe movie doesn’t attempt to The trial itself is also finely reping, Hitler’s second-in-command, justify the actions of the Nazis, licated in the film, with Goering’s played by Russell Crowe, and and goes out of its way to make cross-examination carried out U.S. Army Major and psychiatrist sure that audiences see the Nazis’ thoughtfully by Justice Robert Douglas Kelley, played by Rami atrocities. A long montage during H. Jackson, played by Michael Malek. Malek’s character focuses the trial shows actual Holocaust Shannon, who gave a powerful on evaluating the mental health footage, with video of concentra- performance. The constant backof Goering to ensure that he’s fit tion camps and corpses stacked and-forth exchange between the for trial and doesn’t attempt sui- up high. It’s a way for audiences two characters helps outline the cide. Goering, having held to witness in close detail the tension between democratic idethe second highest position genocide that brought about als and a fascist past in a post-war in Nazi Germany, had full the death of roughly 6 mil- setting. During trial scenes, there knowledge of the Holocaust lion Jewish inhabitants of was also no music whatsoever, a and didn’t do anything to MOVIE Europe. directing choice likely intended stop it. The two have multi- REVIEW To emphasize these scenes to have the audience focus on the ple tense interviews, which and deepen the impact of all trial itself. reveal a deeper human aspect to of it, the film also goes to great The film does have its flaws, both Kelley and even Goering, lengths to ensure that historical though. For one, the movie focusregardless of how evil his actions accuracy was top-notch. An in- es a little too much on Goering and were. credible set design closely mir- Kelley, rather than addressing all The film has a clear goal to “hu- rored historical settings at the the war criminals as a whole. Admanize” Nazis, a choice which time, along with a reconstruction ditionally, some of the pacing felt some may see as controversial. of a replica of the Nuremberg Tri- a little off at times, such as the Nevertheless, the film tries to al courtroom. Additionally, great dramatic skip between 1945 to get the point across that Nazis costume design and scene compo- 1946. Nevertheless, it didn’t ruin weren’t just outlandishly evil sition helped draw audiences in. the movie-viewing experience. cartoon villains. Rather, the film Furthermore, Crowe and Malek I strongly recommend the film portrays them as people with give brilliant performances that for students and especially histotheir own aspirations and per- make the audience feel as if they ry buffs who want an immersive sonalities. The movie, especially were watching real people rather and historically accurate glimpse through Malek’s character, re- than actors performing. Crowe into the Nuremberg Trials in adpeatedly tries to emphasize this puts on an excellent act as Goer- dition to fantastic storytelling message since it implies that any ing and emulates his mannerisms with stunning visuals and great one of us could be capable of Na- almost perfectly, with a convinc- directing.
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SPORTS
Cross Country succeeds in top 15 finish at CIF state championship By Tejus Karadi
Reina Tam | THE UNION
Lam Le (bottom) rallies the pickleball-ball to students (top) playing against her at the school tennis courts.
Friday morning Pickleball brings joy, stress relief to staff, students before school starts
By Reina Tam
Pickleball brings joy and is an activity that mathematics teacher Lam Le wishes she could play every day, Le said. The sound of the pickleball-ball bouncing makes Le very happy and puts her in a good mood, Le said. Le decided to invite her students to play, she said. “My AP Calculus students, they’re very stressed with tests and quizzes from their AP classes,” Le said. “So I say, ‘Hey, let’s just come every Friday before school’, because generally, that’s when the test happens.” Senior Sai Anish Sivakumar, who was invited by Le to play pickleball last year, discovered the sport during P.E., he said. As a regular table tennis player, he partially enjoys the Friday morning pickleball because it is another net sport, he added. “We have a small pickleball community here with friends, and it feels like a happy environment where we could just play against each other,” Sivakumar said. Sivakumar mainly plays pickleball on Friday mornings, he said. He likes to play the sport before quizzes because it helps him think and focus better, he said. To him, that is the main benefit of Friday morning pickleball, he
added. “If you (students) are free before school on Friday, you should come, too,” Sivakumar said. The morning pickleball community started three years ago, and has moved its Friday start time from around 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. because students liked to play the sport for a longer time, Le said. “The regulars would be Ms.Topping, myself, our students, and other students from other classes also join because their friends tell them to come in and play,” Le said. “We also have Mr. McMurray, our assistant principal, come in and join, and Mr. Wrencher usually plays with us — he’s a basketball coach — and Ms. Monica Chen; she’s a counselor. She comes sometimes.” Pickleball is a fun game that is not as tiring as tennis and does not require you to be in peak shape to play, French teacher Lisa Topping said. She likes to play pickleball because it is an activity that she can do with Le, Topping said. “It’s just a great way to start a Friday morning,” Topping said. “Get your blood flowing and be with the students and with Ms. Le. It’s nice. So it is kind of social, but a little bit physical to get your blood flowing.”
Senior Janie Nguyen started playing pickleball on Friday mornings around mid-September, she said. “Ms. Le found out that me and a couple of my friends were on the tennis team, so she offered us to come on Fridays,” Nguyen said. “Then we started from there, and I’ve been coming every week since then.” Nguyen believes that pickleball helps hand-eye coordination, timing, and especially distance perception, she added. “When you’re coming from a tennis player to play pickleball, it’s kind of hard because as a tennis player, you once think that pickleball is not as superior as tennis,” Nguyen said. “But once you start playing, it’s really fun, and it’s not that big of a deal.” Because pickleball is more gentle on the elbows and wrists, and she is not competitive, the sport makes her happy, Le said. “You get happy energy and you get fresh air,” Le said. “And students often tell me, ‘Ms. Le, I feel so much happier.’ That’s the goal for the students—to feel there are activities out there that help them to stay healthy and be happy,more than just studying and studying. They can take a break, and then it will help them do better on their tests.”
Top performers from the MHS cross country team, led by junior Aziza Acosta and junior Arnav Agrawal, finished as the top 15 at the 2025 CIF High School State Cross Country Championship, according to MHS Athletics. The athletes raced on Nov. 29, on a course and against competition that felt unlike anything they had faced all year, cross country co-coach Dillon Hu said. State qualification does not happen every season, so sending boys and girls to make this trip was especially meaningful to the program, Hu said. The main difference at states was the intensity of the race and the high level of competition compared with CCS (Central Coasts Section) and other meets, he added. “Our athletes raced well, but the intensity of the race was something they were not super familiar with, and that experience is going to help them a lot for next year,” Hu said. Freshman Joash Thomas felt ecstatic to be the first freshman in MHS history to qualify for states, and that was his motivation to work hard, he said. “I remember that meet (Clovis Invitational) was really fun and I enjoyed the course, but in states, I ran at a faster pace and I really realized how much it sucked compared to other 5k courses,” Thomas said. Timewise, Thomas had a forty four second improvement, he said. His time cut from 17:47, from his first run of the season, to 17:03 at states, he said. The rolling, hilly layout and mixed surfaces of the course left him far more tired at the end of the state race than he expected, Thomas said. He did not realize how much the course would wear him down until the final 100 meters, when he was really tired compared to the Clovis Invitational, he said. “I just try to run my hardest, and I wouldn’t care about my previous performances that much,” Thomas said. “I just focus on the me at hand, and I think that really helped me change this record.” Preparation for the state meet
started more than a month earlier, when the team traveled to Clovis to run the course at an invitational, Hu said. “Physically, we were training very hard, and then the last week or so, we reduced the intensity and the volume of the training a little bit,” Hu said. “Overall, the level of preparation going into the race was just that we’re gonna treat it like any other race, but we’re gonna race harder than any other race.” Summer training was one of the biggest reasons the team was able to reach such a high level by the time they got to states, Thomas said. The consistent off-season workouts helped everyone become faster and push their limits more than in the past years, he added. “We came every day to train in the summer,” Thomas said.“We got a head start, and that really helped make everyone a lot faster,” he said. Acosta’s training was also built on consistency throughout the season, she said. She attended six days of team practice that usually lasted about two and a half hours after school, she added. “I run about forty five miles a week, and have been running that since the start of the season,” Acosta said. “I personally practice seven days a week, but we hold practice six days a week.” As a whole, the season showed tremendous growth in both numbers and commitment, Hu said. The team’s overall roster is about fifteen to twenty kids, larger than last year, and has a lot more girls than before, he said. “We also have a really strong team culture, a lot of positivity,” Hu said. “We do a lot of team bonding, we do a lot of team activities. So overall, I think most people on the team — they’re just having a lot of fun.” After training the entire off-season since June, the boys are the fastest team Milpitas has ever had, and the girls include some of the fastest runners in school history, Hu said. “If you work hard, you will improve and you will run faster than you ever thought you could before,” Hu said.
Boys Varsity Soccer looks to defend CCS title amid challenges By Reuben Thayil
The MHS Boys Varsity Soccer Team are the defending Central Coast Section (CCS) champions, with high hopes of making CCS again this year, Head Coach James Williams said. Coach Williams believes that the team will be able to make CCS again, but they will need to work hard to work as a team, he said. “Building the cohesion – a lot of these guys never played together, so it’s just building in the guys that are now new to the team and building those relationships and the ability to play together,” Williams said. Senior Toma Iwase believes it is going to be tough to adapt without some of last year’s seniors, he said. “They were the heart of our team, so it was a pretty big loss,” Toma said. There are only 40 teams that make CCS every year, so it will be hard, but it is possible, Williams said. “It’s all based on points,” Williams said. “We have as good a shot as we usually do, just game by game. And we try to maximize the amount of points we can get.” Even though the team recently played against Mountain View,
the reigning California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State champions, Williams is optimistic about making the CCS championship again this year, he said. The MHS varsity boys soccer team lost 0-4 to Mountain View according to Maxpreps. “They will probably be one of the best teams in the state,” he said. “We played well, all things considered.” As for last year, the most beneficial practice the team did to prepare and qualify for the CCS championship was setting specific goals as well as setting good and achievable expectations, Williams said. “Just playing together last few years, we’ve been building that identity—that this is what we expect, that this is where we’re at, this is what we’re going to do,” Williams said. Senior Jerrel Phan believes the team is able to make the CCS championship based on their performance in their first few games, but it will be tough, however realistically it may not happen, he said. “I hope we can, but I don’t think we will,” he said. “I don’t think we know how to play as a team yet.” Phan believes that the team’s
hopes of making CCS will improve over the course of the season with more teamwork, he said. “Once you (teammates) feel more comfortable with each other and we know each other more, then I think we’ll play a lot better,” he said. Before CCS can even be considered, the team needs a lot of improvement, especially on offense, Phan added. “ We’ve always been a more defensive team,” he said. “So we’re just trying to focus more on actually scoring.” To accomplish this goal, the team has introduced new scoring drills into their daily practices this year to be able to improve offensively, Phan said. “There’s a lot more finishing (scoring) drills because none of us can really score, so we’re just trying to work on that,” Phan said. The most important thing the team needs to do to be able to qualify and play in the CCS championship is momentum, Williams added. “We just need to continue to get better every day – every day, even if it’s incremental, every day, you got to get a little better,” he said.
Courtesy of Javier Alfaro
Senior Toma Iwase trying to evade a defender from obtaining the ball.
DECEMBER 2025
SPORTS
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“How do you deal with the stress of balancing academics and sports?”
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Kashvi Agarwal | THE UNION
Emcee, KayleeMei Ladle (leftmost), hypes up the crowd for the next performance during the Jack Emery Talent Show. Jason Nguyen (second from left), Kavish Shah (second from right), and Ethan Amudhan (rightmost) are the other emcees.
Jack Emery Talent Show returns to support Milpitas By Kashvi Agarwal
MUSD held the annual Jack Emery Food Drive from Nov. 10 to Dec. 12 to raise money for the Milpitas Food Pantry, which supports those in our community who face food insecurity. One of the events that leadership organized to get donations was the Jack Emery Talent Show, held on Dec. 5 in the theater, featuring numerous performances, from martial arts to contortionism to student bands. Activities director Deana Querubin loved the energy of the crowd and the wide variety of talents, she said.
“We had singers; we had dancers; we had speed watermelon-eaters,” Querubin said. The last time the talent show was organized by leadership was much before she became activities director, Querubin said. The theater also holds the Variety Show, but she doesn’t know when they last did that, she added. “We brought it back because there are so many talented people on campus,” Querubin said. “Cool thing too – the talent show wasn’t just like a singing competition. There are people with talents that are not singers.” Sophomore Eunice Lee performed a jump rope routine to the
song, “Humble,” by Kendrick Lamar, she said. “It is something I’ve been doing for about five or six years,” Lee said. “I started in second grade during the MEO (Milpitas Elementary Olympics), and I really found a passion for it.” Lee goes to national competitions organized by the American Jump Rope Federation where jumpers from around the country come together to compete, she said. As the only competitive jumper from the California area, she finds a “sense of community” there that she really loves, she added. “I’ve been National Champion,”
DECEMBER 2025 Lee said. “I’ve also been Grand National Champion, so, regardless of age group. It’s been a journey.” Performing in front of large crowds is always nerve-wracking, Lee said. As she performed for the talent show, she felt the spotlight focusing directly on her and everything else being pitch dark, she said. “It was so scary,” Lee said. “But I can hear the energy of the crowd, and it just motivates me.” A panel of five judges crowned Lee the first-place winner of the Jack Emery Talent Show and Pavithra Prasad, who sang “I Don’t Know My Own Strength” by Whitney Houston, the runner-up. Lee said that she’s either going to donate, invest, or spend her $300 prize. “I really, really am so honored to be here to perform,” Lee said. “I’m technically performing for Jack Emery, for people in need. During this Christmas season, there are so many people out there who can’t afford a lot of the things that we have, and we take for granted.” Before the talent show, leadership held auditions on Nov. 13. They also held rehearsals on both the day before and the day of the event, Querubin said. Leadership promised a sizable prize — $300 for the winner and $150 for the runner-up — as an incentive to participate, she said. “We need to make it a prize that it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s the grand prize!’” Querubin said. “From that, we got a lot of signups, which was really, really awesome.” The Behind the Scenes (BTS) club officers ran audio and lights for the Jack Emery Talent Show, while leadership students carried out other backstage tasks, BTS president Johnathan Nguyen said.
Courtesy of Tonichi Lorenzana
PUSO officers welcome exchange students from Milpitas’s sister city, Dagupan, in the Philippines, for the third consecutive year after COVID-19.
Philipinx United Student Organization hosts exchange students from Dagupan, Philippines By Namana Balakrishna
This year is the third consecutive year where the Philipinx United Student Organization (PUSO) has done a student exchange program with Milpitas’s sister city, Dagupan, in the Philippines, PUSO advisor Tonichi Lorenzana said. The program sends Filipino students who are leaders of their community, along with other adult community officials, Lorenzana said. Part of the reason is to see how the local government and school system works in Milpitas, as schools run differently in different countries, he added. “It’s getting insight into what we do here in Milpitas, and what are things that they can adopt and change back home,” Lorenzana said. “I think it’d be worthwhile for students and educated people from Milpitas to see the
same thing, to see what is going on in other parts of the world and how they use technology, or what teaching programs they have.” The purpose of the program was to exchange ideas between the Filipino and American education systems, as they are different from one another, PUSO president Elise Mina said. “For example, they have the student or the teachers come to each of their classrooms,” Mina said. “In America, we have all the students walking around campus from class to class.” Unlike MHS, exchange student Andi Reyna’s high school has electives geared more towards academic subjects like biotechnology and trigonometry, she said. She enjoyed the fact that MHS had more subjects geared towards the arts, she added. “We go to a science high school,” Reyna said. “So it’s more focused
on science, math and just STEM overall.” There are differences between the language and phrases used in English between America and the Philippines, Reyna said. “When I went to the other campus, this girl was going to have a birthday tomorrow, so I said, ‘Advanced happy birthday,’” Reyna said. “Then, I learned that nobody says that here. You guys say, ‘Happy early birthday.’” The technology at MHS is much more advanced than at their school, exchange student Clarence Aquino said. “For example, the TVs in the room, compared to our TVs, (are) much bigger here,” Aquino said. “Here it’s more technologically advanced, since they give you laptops and MacBooks. Also, you guys have free Wi-Fi for the guests. Unlike for us, our Wi-Fi in the school, you have to figure out
the password of the Wi-Fi.” Aquino preferred the culture of American schools compared to the ones in the Philippines, he said. “Unlike in our school, if they’re (students) older than you, it’s hard to talk to them because they think they’re more superior or something,” Aquino said. “But here, you could approach anyone. It’s more friendlier over here.” Aquino is thinking about coming back to the U.S. for future studies, he said. “When I went into the Innovation school, I really liked how their system works,” he said. “I prefer it there, because it’s less crowded.” Hosting a foreign student and showing them around campus was an eye-opening experience, Mina said. “I really got to think about how I’m perceived as an elder,” Mina
“Audio is usually just connected to the speakers in the theater,” Nguyen said. “We play it from our Chromebook, or whatever device we have on hand. Lights are personally controlled by someone that has experience with lights in our club.” The BTS club was founded this year and focuses on helping out clubs organize their shows, Nguyen said. They recently ran the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) charity show in November, he said. “Our club just really helps backstage — so, behind the scenes,” Nguyen said. Tickets for the talent show were $5 each for students and $10 each for adults. Leadership raised over $300 at the door, Querubin said. “We didn’t fill the theater, but we’re still happy about the result,” Querubin said during the interview. When asked if leadership would host the talent show again next year, she said, they would, “a 100 percent.” In addition to the talent show, leadership organized the Coin Wars, Duct Tape Wars, Pie Wars, Winterfest, and Winter Glow Dance to raise money for Jack Emery, according to an email from Querubin. Students also had the option to donate to their first-period classrooms, she wrote. Although it’s the season of giving, the money raised by Jack Emery impacts the Milpitas Food Pantry throughout the year, Querubin said. “To the readers, to the school, to the community, thank you,” Querubin said. “What you do matters, and we’re so appreciative of whatever donation, whether it’s coins or dollars or cans. Anything is valuable, and it goes a long way. We appreciate everything that we get.” said. “How they treated me was kind of like how a student would treat a teacher. I thought that was very interesting, and that made me think about how I respect my elders, and how the culture here is just so different.” As president, Mina coordinated where the exchange students went and which of the officers they would partner with, she said. The PUSO officers’ job was “just making sure they had a good time here, and that they learned all about the typical American education experience,” Mina said. Lorenzana focused mainly on communication and outreach within the school and district as the advisor, he said. “I coordinated with Ms. Kim over at the Innovation Campus because they want to see the Innovation Campus,” Lorenzana said. “Then, I talked to Ms. Scott, who is the principal at the Middle College, so that we can take students over and they can observe the Middle College, just to see the different kinds of high school options that are available.” It’s cool how students from different backgrounds get to interact with one another and learn more about their culture , Lorenzana said. “(MHS) students can learn what’s going on in the Philippines, and then our students from the Philippines can learn how we do school and how the interactions are with teachers and fellow people,” Lorenzana said. One thing Lorenzana appreciates about the exchange program is all the support received from teachers, the district, and the city of Milpitas itself, he said. “The students are obviously very much engaged and they want to be good hosts,” Lorenzana said. “But then to have the support of the city officials and everyone else, it just adds more to it. It makes it feel more of an event and not just like a little thing that happens once a year.”
DECEMBER 2025
Math pilot programs will support struggling learners, promote discussion By Natalie Chen
Two new math curricula will be piloted across district schools from transitional kindergarten through tenth grade starting in the spring semester, Executive Director of Learning and Innovation Priti Johari said. The goal is to align with the California education system’s updated math frameworks (circa 2023) as well as to better support English language learners and students with disabilities, Johari said. The point of the pilot program is to help students understand why they’re learning what they’re learning and to remove the monotony from math class, she said. “We are shifting to a more problem-based approach to math, so that students are not just doing rote, procedural math, but really starting with the questions of, ‘What am I trying to solve?’ and ‘How do I solve it?’” Johari said. The decision to adopt two distinct math curricula came after the district reviewed twenty different curricula, all from different vendors, she added. “When we looked at new curricula, we were evaluating for the needs of our English language learner students, our special education students, and our Latinx students,” Johari said. Ultimately, one of the primary aims of the new math program is to encourage conversations about math and promote a deeper, real-world understanding of course material, rather than sticking
to the traditional lecture-based curriculum where talking among students is kept to a minimum, Director of Secondary Education Maurissa Koide said. “One thing we really want to elevate is students’ discourse and discussion, especially academic talk around math, which we don’t always find happening in classes,” Koide said. The Curriculum Policy Committee (CPC), the district committee that oversees the planning and adoption of the pilot curricula, also made sure to take past student feedback into account when designing the pilot, Koide said. For example, it was observed that a surprising number of students preferred offline math instruction rather than being overly reliant on online resources, she said. “With AI, the push for technology, and after COVID, we thought students would just want to do online learning,” Koide said. “But what we were finding is that students actually wanted more of a balance—more pen to paper. They were getting fatigued on the computer. That was a surprising realization.” The district will continue to collect feedback and listen to students as the pilot program progresses, Koide added.
“If we had really negative feedback from students on both of the curricula we’ve chosen, we would take a pause, and look at what we did and what the pilot implementation looks like,” Koide said. “Because one thing that’s really important —
not only to all of the staff, but also to our superintendent and our school board — is the student voice.” Students of teachers participating in the pilot program will see changes in curriculum pacing as well as new textbooks and resources, MHS math teacher and CPC member Olga Eidelman said. “Depending on which curriculum we’re going to choose from the two available, we’re going to choose a different publisher, and the books are going to be different,” Eidelman said. “The structure of the curriculum is also going to be slightly different. There is a slight change in pacing, so we’re going to teach slightly less material, but go deeper into it in each of the courses.” The change in curriculum is expected to benefit students, especially following the decline in standardized testing scores observed post-pandemic, Eidelman added. “We, as a state, saw a huge decline in scores in mathematics, especially after the Coronavirus, when they fell and never came back to the level prior to the pandemic,” Eidelman said. “So (the CPC) hopes that with the new curriculum, we will be able to dive a little bit deeper and allow you guys to do more hands-on activities, which will increase the participation of the students, and hopefully it will bring the test scores back.” The two curricula are expected to pilot in January and February of 2026, she added. “We are excited for the new changes,” Eidelman said.
Lauren Dang | THE UNION
Schwall’s classes have also learned about perspective drawing, software work and cinematography analysis.
New Digital Art Teacher Joseph Schwall expresses hope for school year By Lauren Dang
One new face on campus this year is Joseph Schwall, the digital art teacher who is also a part of the Digital Business Academy (DBA). Schwall first became interested in creating digital art after playing online games, he said. He also created fan-made content for these games, which inspired him to pursue animation throughout his high school and college years, he added. “I played a couple of online games when I was a wee-little lad, like Wizard 101 and Toon Town,” Schwall said. “It inspired me to draw my own designs for levels, characters, and creatures. That eventually led me to studying animation in high school, and then continuing through college and after graduating.” While learning about animation, Schwall realized that he appreciated educating others about the art, which inspired him to become a digital art teacher, he said. “When I started studying animation (and) digital art, I realized that I really enjoyed teaching other people things and … being able to help other people grow their skills, but also grow
my skills by teaching what I know and reinforcing that and discovering new things through teaching,” Schwall said. Schwall is energetic and has a positive attitude, DBA lead Ahryun Han said. “He’s very kind as well, and student-focused,” Han said. Schwall’s teaching style focuses on creating a comfortable environment for students by playing music and allowing for friendly interaction, Han said. “He checks in with students,” Han said. “He’s, as I said, quite energetic. He plays music in the background if it’s independent work time, and students are able to have comfortable conversations with him. They’re able to disagree with each other in a comfortable space as well.” This semester, Schwall has covered a wide range of subjects for his Digital Art class, he said. “In my Digital Art class, we’ve covered topics like elements of art, principles of design,” Schwall said. “We’ve covered AI ethics and implementing that into design. We’ve talked a lot about design thinking, how to go about solving a problem for a given group of people.” Outside of classwork, Schwall
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also talks with students about their personal interests, senior Asha Balu said. “He’s really close with us students, and most of us, at least in my period, are into Dungeons and Dragons, so we’ve all bonded over that,” Balu said. Other interests Schwall has outside of digital art include playing a wide range of games, including both physical and online games, he said. “I love gaming,” Schwall said. “I’m really into Rogue-lite and Metroidvania style games. I threw forty hours into Silksong in the first two weeks that it came out. I also really enjoy tabletop role-playing games.” Schwall also hopes to educate the MHS community about the digital art medium and help students grow an interest in it, he said. “I heard about how great this campus community is,” Schwall said. “I was really excited to make a splash and see if I can help to teach this community about the awesome things that animation and art can help educate in not just in that subject alone, but other subjects. I felt like there was a huge opportunity here, and the students are really showing an interest and passion in that.”
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Calaveras Hills High pilots new phone app to implement statewide phone ban By Uyen Vu
Calaveras Hills High School (CHHS) has been piloting the Commons app, which the company just introduced to schools this year, CHHS Principal Jonathan Payne said. Students must download the app on their phone in order to include students in a “geofence” that covers the school campus, Payne said. “While you’re in that geofence, it restricts social media access and other alternative means that students can use to be distracted in the classroom on campus,” Payne said. When a student arrives within a certain distance of school grounds, the Commons app sends a notification that says the student has arrived at school, so the student should stay off their phone, junior Marques Cooper said. “And if you checked your phone throughout the day, it would keep sending you notifications, like stay off your phone and stay focused,” Cooper said. The app disables Wi-Fi for the student’s phone, and you couldn’t access Wi Fi as long as you were on school grounds, Cooper said. “It was really odd finding out that we (couldn’t) do anything on our phones now,” Cooper said. “We couldn’t even access our music.” At the beginning of the school year, CHHS introduced the app to their students during an assembly, telling them that the app was a way for students to keep their phones with them, Payne said. Students would still have access to their phones to do certain things in class, like programming or taking a picture, he added. “It gave them a chance to still have ownership of their phone, whereas Milpitas High has the rule of turning your phone in, or you had to be able to put your phone in a designated space to not access it,” Payne said. “We were trying to give students an alternative to that by being able to still keep your phone, but just be restricted (from) certain apps that cause you to be distracted in class.” Commons has a tracker that allows staff to see which students were in compliance with the app, Payne said. However, the issue that he wasn’t fully aware of is that the app still has a lot of bugs because it was a pilot, he said. Sometimes, the app would say that a student wasn’t in compliance, but they actually were, and vice versa, he added. “They (app developers) have been working out the kinks and the bugs, but it’s been harder to enforce the Commons app with the students because of those bugs that were still in the app that they were sorting through,” Payne said. There are four settings on a student’s phone that they have to enable, science teacher and site manager for Commons, Kimi Schmidt said. For the app to work properly, the students have to agree to all of the settings; so even if one of the settings is not enabled, then the app doesn’t work, she added. “They’re able to stream, get on TikTok, pull up Instagram, they’re able to send messages left and right, and then we’re back to the same problem,” Schmidt said. Schmidt is going to schedule a meeting with the developers of Commons, because they know that she was frustrated with the lack of functionality with the app’s interface, she said.
“They listened, and they actually want to sit down and talk to some kids right now about their participation in the Commons (app),” Schmidt said. At the beginning of the year, CHHS was hopeful about Commons because they could have a tool that could help teachers and help students graduate on time and without struggles, Schmidt said. “We realize so much time is lost and wasted on cell phones,” Schmidt said. “If I see a kid with a phone, and I’m giving instructions, I will say, ‘Don’t ask me. Don’t ask me a second time for information.’” Previously, CHHS used Yondr pouches, a pouch that students would put their phone in and then seal with a key, Schmidt said. “The kids would just break the pouch or figure out how to open it themselves,” Schmidt said. CHHS was using Yondr pouches years before COVID, and before Payne came to the school, he said. “(The school used them) mainly in our SAP (Senior Accelerated Program) classes and our double credit classes as an incentive for students to stay on track, to be able to focus, and be able to obtain those double credits,” Payne said. As it stands, the leadership team, staff, and students will have to decide if the school will continue with the Commons app, go back to Yondr pouches, or something else, Payne said. “My goal is to send out some messaging in the form of a survey and ParentSquare, and get more information from parents and students to see, ‘Is this something that they want to continue with? Or do w e look at Yondr? Do we look at turning in phones to follow what Milpitas High is doing?’” Payne said. Payne is going to speak to Schmidt about what is going to be best for the school to do moving into January, he said. If they decide to go back to Yondr pouches, then they would implement that next year, so the conversation will be around what they will do for the phone ban for the rest of the school year, he added. “It’s very hard to pivot midyear,” Payne said. “If the survey goes out, even in the next couple of weeks, it’s not going to address what happens in January. That’s more so going to address next school year.” Schmidt would like to continue using Commons because something like a pouch can break, she said. “A pouch can be lost,” Schmidt said. “But as long as the app is working and the geofence is up, you should, in theory, be fine.” Cooper often heard complaints from other students over the fact that the app used your location services, he said. “I kind of felt as if it was an invasion of privacy, because they’re asking for your location,” he said. Having an app isn’t the most effective way to carry out the phone ban because students are going to find a way around it, Cooper said. “Students – the first day they found out that you can just turn off your VPN settings, and then the app can’t track that you’re on your phone,” Cooper said. Ultimately, CHHS wants to get the most out of the students, because they want the students to be able to graduate, Payne said. “Whatever policy we can come up with that is best for the students is what we’re really seeking,” Payne said.
DECEMBER 2025
NEWS
Students share experience with SNAP pauses FROM PAGE 1 vice, an anti-poverty organization in the Bay Area, provides an array of resources for everyone, Director of Communications for Sacred Heart Community Service Demone Carter said. The organization has a food pantry, a clothing closet, an energy program, a house assistance program, and more, he said. Sacred Heart relies a lot on volunteers, he added. “We have anywhere from seven to 9000 volunteers that help us run our food pantry and other programs on a yearly basis,” Carter said. “We have amazing donors. We’ve been around for 61 years, so we have a great base of donors who contribute to Sacred Heart monthly and annually to help us meet the needs of the community. And then we also have federal funding and funding through the County of Santa Clara, and grant foundational funding also supports our work.” With the pause of SNAP benefits during the shutdown, Sacred
Heart Community Service saw an increase in people coming to their food pantry, Carter said. “We did see an uptick in the number of people coming to our food pantry in the month of October and early November,” Carter said. “We saw about 900 more families than we’re used to seeing, and so we believe that folks in our community were feeling uncertain about where meals or groceries were coming from.” Since senior and previous SNAP user Chien Thach’s family had just arrived in the U.S., he didn’t have housing and resources, so his parents applied to these programs for help, he said. In the past, Thach has received help from food pantries and other charitable organizations in the Bay, he added. “We actively got emails from donations, like from different schools and areas, and my family often went there to get food,” Thach said. If you’re a SNAP user, try not to use up all your funds in one place,
Vazquez said. “Try to be as resourceful as you can with how much money they give in, and as well, seek places where you can get more money, whether it be contracting, preparing cars, babysitting,” Vazquez said. “There’s so many ways where you can find help. There’s food pantries and even the government, like the local government, (can) help you as well. ”
“If you feel like you cannot get any help, talk to a counselor or someone else; they will definitely try to help you as best they can.” senior and SNAP user Adriana Vazquez said.
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New legislation prevents ICE on campus FROM PAGE 1 works to keep school staff informed of any changes to legislation and has recently started informing families of new policies directly, he added. “If new legislation comes out, we want to make sure all the school sites — the principals and the folks in the office — are aware if it affects our ability to provide public education services,” Norwood said. “So for this particular topic (immigration), while it is new, it’s already a practice of the district that when legislation comes out that may have an impact in our ability to provide education, folks are made aware.” In the case of AB 49, the “Safe Haven Schools Act,” passed on Sep. 20, 2025, the school district already had a similar policy in place, Norwood said.
AB 49 prohibits school officials and employees from allowing ICE officers to come on campus, he said. In addition, school employees are not informed of the immigration status of students, MUSD Board President Chris Norwood added.
Satvika Gidvani | THE UNION
During college application season, the College and Career Center offers multiple application workshops for seniors.
SB 640 expands CSU Direct Admissions program across California starting 2026-27 school year
FROM PAGE 1
“You can submit an application for as many of them as you want, if you’re unsure which school you want to end up at, but if you know, say, for example, you really wanted to go to Fresno State and Fresno State gives you direct admissions, then you would just have to apply to them,” Cler said. The system aims to help students who may not apply because they doubt their chances, especially first-generation immigrants or underserved students who lack confidence in the college application process, Cler said. “A lot of students hold back because they are unsure if they will get admitted,” Cler said. “This program removes that fear by letting them know ahead of time.” The program may also reduce overall stress for juniors who feel overwhelmed by the number of campuses and deadlines involved in college applications, College and Career specialist Alcina Rosas said. “It relieves some of the pressure of having to apply to so many different schools,” Rosas said. Even though students are identified automatically, they still have to complete a formal CSU application and all required financial aid forms to finalize their
enrollment, Rosas said. “Students should not assume the process is entirely automatic,” Rosas said. “They still need to follow through with applications and make sure they are meeting deadlines.” Students should take time to explore different majors and visit campuses before deciding where to enroll, Rosas said. “You still have to work your way through,” Rosas said. “ You get the acceptance, but you still have to apply. They do mention, housing and the number of students they can even accept into the school is not going to change.”
Hopefully, the direct admissions system encourages more students to consider four-year universities and begin preparing earlier as more CSU campuses join the program, College and Career specialist Alcina Rosas said.
“Out of the 22 CSUs, only 16 are participating in this direct admission program,” Rosas added. The 5 CSUs that are not participating are, San Jose State, San Diego State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Long Beach, according to the CSU’s website. When colleges come to visit our school in workshops, the new program will most likely be explained in more detail, Rosas said. “But I do plan on having workshops like this past semester,”Rosas added. “I did have, for example, some financial aid workshops for students to come in and be able to get help submitting FAFSA, so if I can find other opportunities for students to get help to submit applications, even if it not just for CSU, but for all colleges, then I will try my best.” Junior Cole Managad did not know about the California State Colleges direct admission program, he said. “It seems very open and considerate of a lot of people’s different backgrounds,” Managad said. The program’s 2.5 GPA requirement may also widen the chances that people have to get into the universities, Managad said. “It makes me more relaxed about how I will go forward with colleges,” Managad said.
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“And again, one of the things about California that’s unique is that once you’re in California, you’re in California, so you have rights, and we honor those rights in terms of your privacy, in terms of your personal belongings, all of those things,” he said. In the event that ICE did want to enter the school or was looking for a particular student, they would not be permitted to do so by California law, Norwood said. As long as a student, their family, or an employee is on campus, they are protected from ICE, he added. “If they’re on campus participating in a school activity, yes, it’s a safe space,” Norwood said. “At the same time, though, if ICE agents have a warrant for someone’s arrest that works at a school because they are aware of their immigration because they don’t have immigration status, that’s separate because they have a warrant.” Additionally, the district has created a web page to keep its community safe and informed on legislation, Norwood said. MUSD has a good relationship with other districts within Santa Clara County, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has
a strong relationship with the state, Norwood added. “So when the immigration enforcement actually became law, the state got information, the county got information, the district got information, and then also we got information at the legislative action committee, and we began to do research in terms of what should our school districts and superintendents know, and that was one of the reasons why we built that web page,” Norwood said. Families are still anxious due to the unprecedented nature of immigration enforcement, but the district tries to help students feel as though school is a safe place of learning, Norwood said. The district has succeeded in raising attendance rates back to where they were before immigration enforcement tightened through efforts from the Know Your Rights workshops, the Wellness Center, and close contact with administrators, he added. “As the news continues to tell these stories that are happening across the country, you don’t know who our parents or who our children know (to whom) that could be happening someplace else,” Norwood said. “So we’re all again on heightened alert.” Immigrant communities live in fear because of ICE enforcement occurring in other areas, Accompaniment Coordinator at Rapid Response Network Ashley, said. She declined to provide her last name. Teaching community members what is actually happening helps give them peace of mind and lets them know what is happening in their area, she said. “Because through social media, we see a bunch of different things of what’s happening in other states, so it’s easy to kind of get lost in all that information,” Ashley said. “So, presenting the community with facts of what is really going on here makes them feel a lot better.” So far, there have been no huge deportations in Santa Clara County, Morales said. Milpitas is technically a sanctuary city, so the police department will not deport or report an undocumented immigrant, she said. Yet student fear still varies from day to day as the Trump administration continues to enforce its immigration policies, she added. “Being an immigrant myself, I get to feel it (the fear) every day,” Morales said. “Whatever the administration is doing right now, it’s not that it’s just a new thing. It’s actually more enforcing it. But it’s always been like that. So you do live with it, but you just kind of learn, and you’re resilient, learning how to deal with it.”
Eye on Campus: Band concert ends year with festive classics
Sowmya Sundar | THE UNION
The band held their third concert of the semester on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11.