THE THUNDERDOLT APRIL 1ST, 2021 Volume 61, Issue 7
2 TOP 10 WORLD FACTS 8 NEW FOOTBALL RECRUIT 13 OUTDOOR PROM Mills Reports
Stranger Things
Sports
Mills Report
The Thunderbolt
Mills High School Publication www.millsthunderbolt.com
Editors-in-Chief: Karine Chan ‘21 Anjuli Niyogi ‘21 Leanna Yu ‘21
outdoor Prom for Mills students
Faculty Advisor: Kelly Hensley News Editor: Justin Condevillamar ‘21
Center Spread Editor: Bianca Reyes ‘21 Opinions Editor: Madison Wong ‘21 Sports Editor: Misael Gomez ‘21 Entertainment Editor: karine chan ‘21 Media Coordinators: Leanna Yu ‘21 Karine Chan ‘21 Staff Writers: Melissa Catpo ‘24 Katelyn Chang ‘23 Joshua Choe ‘24 Jordan Hasty ‘21 Magdalene Ko ‘23 Katelyn Lam ‘23 Rita Li ‘22 Nagham Masarweh ‘24 Flora Oliva ‘21 Maxwell Zaninovich ‘24 Instagram: @millsthunderbolt Twitter: @thunderboltmhs Youtube: MillsThunderbolt
Article Previews: Features: New EquestrianTeam Saddles Up at Mills (Pg 4)
Center Spread: Historical Facts That May Suprise You (Pg 8-9)
Opinions: Student Opinions on the Return to School (Pg 11)
Sports: Angela Dimaano Top Women’s Basketball Recruit (Pg 12)
Entertainment: Mills Student Signs Major Record Deal (Pg 14)
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Features Editor: Angela Dimaano ‘21
PROM:
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Karine Chan The Thunderbolt
rience for all upperclassmen. Not much information has been released yet, but here is what we know so far. Outdoor prom is set to be held at Golden Gate Park with a TBD date. Every individual attending will be required to wear a mask and is highly encouraged to social distance from other prom goers as much as possible. Students are only allowed to have physical contact with one other. Additionally, staff and students will be required to get tested for Corona in the week prior to the dance. Any adult chaperone must be vaccinated. Chaperones will be circulating the area with hand sanitizer bottles and tables will be periodically cleaned all throughout the night. The venue will include food and beverages, but will be kept to a minimum. Everything will be proportioned ahead of time to ensure that you only make contact with what you consume. Tables will also be scarce and placed at least six feet apart from each other. A max of six individuals will be allowed to sit at each table. Due to a much smaller window of people allowed to gather together, only juniors and seniors will be permitted to attend. Furthermore, every student is limited to purchasing a max of two tickets. Any guest brought must also be a junior or senior in high school. Taking further measures in keeping everyone safe, you must stay on the premise. Once you leave, you will not be allowed to re-enter. As no one saw it fathomable to have a prom, this has proven to be a shock to many upperclassmen. Anjuli Niyogi (12) stated in an interview, “I just cannot believe it is actually happening. It’ll be really nice to at least experience a small part of senior year.” Many others are ecstatic to have some sort of normalcy and are hopeful that there will be blue skies going forward. Mills will be releasing an extensive guide to students soon which will further encompass the rules and regulations in order to make prom happen. As unexpected as Covid-19 was, there are always reasons to keep hope! The Thunderbolt hopes you all stay happy and healthy, enjoy prom!
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The official flyer for this year’s prom.
By Karine Chan, Editor In Chief
s the San Mateo Union Highschool District (SMUHSD) enters the orange tier, Mills has decided to throw an outdoor prom for its upperclassmen. Though unarguably very different from traditional proms held in previous years, the Mills staff is hard at work to provide a safe, fun, and exciting prom expe-
Mills to get Rid Of Lockers By Bianca Reyes, Center Spread Editor
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ith the manner in which the pandemic seemed to alter life as we knew it, this past year hasn’t been easy for anyone. But given that it has been a little over a year since the pandemic first began to seriously affect the US, schools and businesses are starting to transition into reopening their establishments—the former of which is inclusive to our very own Mills High School. This, of course, doesn’t necessarily mean that we will be completely back to normal; going back to in-person school is optional and there will be guidelines set in place that students who do choose to return must follow, such as wearing a face covering at all times and having a health screening before entering campus. Another (and perhaps unexpected) change that Mills has chosen to implement is the replacement of our red lockers with wooden cubbies, complete with cloth baskets that fit snugly inside each opening. Each student’s new cubby corresponds to their old locker number to lessen the confusion—although, given that each cubby is smaller than the dimensions of the lockers, the student may find their new storage space in a new area than before. The wooden cubbies, reminiscent of those found in Kindergarten classes, are expected to be quite tall, taking up the entire expanse of the Mills walls, from the ceiling to the cement on the ground. Of course, this has become a concern among students who aren’t necessarily tall enough to reach their new storage, but as far as we can tell, Mills has no solid plans to aid this issue. One possibility would be to keep ladders ready for the unlucky ones stuck with a cubby on the higher end but, again, nothing is set in stone.
One reason for this shift is due to the fact that lockers have always been a bit of a struggle for both students and Mills staff alike. Students are tasked with remembering their codes (which are often forgotten throughout the year), they’re hard to disinfect daily, and are even harder for our custodians to clean out once students are off to summer break. By switching to cubbies, a majority of these problems will be solved—not to mention that the cloth baskets simply need to be thrown into a washing machine in order to get cleaned, helping out the custodians more than you could imagine. Returning to school this year won’t be easy, and it certainly won’t look like what we’re used to, but we’re glad that Mills is implementing these changes for the safety of our Vikings. Thank you Mills staff for all of your hard work, and we’ll hopefully see you as soon as possible!
LOCKERS:
Bianca Reyes The Thunderbolt
Lockers will be replaced with cubbies.
The Thunderbolt
Zoom Cameras Must Be on at all times By Anjuli Niyogi, Editor In Chief his decision was made at a Mills administration meeting to help alleviate the high disengagement rates that teachers have been experiencing during the second semester of distance learning. This decision is supposed to aid in increasing the focus of students, add more human connection to these isolating times, and allow students to get to know each other better for the last months of the school year. For teachers who were already requiring students to turn on their cameras, students tended to move far away from the screen so their face was small and unclear or even tilted up their screen so only a portion of their face was showing. With this new mandate, students will not only be required to keep their cameras on, but they must include their entire face within the frame of the screen, with their heads being positioned within 12 inches from the camera. This decision was made to allow teachers to read students’ faces for comprehension during lectures and classwork, and ensure their necessary attention and focus. The Mills administration will be sending out a school-wide email with more details and photo examples of what students should expect to have set up this coming Monday. Moreover, students will need to keep their cameras on even while using the restroom or stepping away from their workspaces. All students will also be required to make a personal paper sign indicating that, when held up to the screen, they will be stepping away from the screen shortly. The administration will be sending more details about what this sign should look like and how students can make it. The only known requirement so far is that it will read in large black letters “MAY I LEAVE?” Only after teachers have given students the ‘okay’ will they be dismissed to leave for the time given. To enforce these rules, cameras during class will play into either a student’s grade or their attendance. Many teachers will be requiring it as a part of a 1000 point participation grade, while other teachers will be
one of my classmate’s chihuahua coming in and out of the camera frame every second because it was jumping up and down while he was eating. It’s like the dog knew he was on camera.” While some students have had positive reactions to this decision, many have reacted negatively. Sophomore Rodney Ruse disclosed “that I haven’t turned my camera on since September. None of my classes or teachers require it, so to start now seems pointless.” Another student, Senior Gothen Yu, affirmed this opinion, noting “i’ve only got a couple months left of high school. I’m not turning my camera whether they’re mandating it or not. So what if I don’t pass my classes or get marked absent? They can’t force me and I’m graduating either way.” One teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous, was similarly as distraught about this decision as most of their students; “Man, I haven’t turned my camera on in months. I’ve been doing all my classes with my camera off since January, and I’m cool with my students leaving theirs off. But now I can’t expect all my students to turn theirs on and just have mine off. That wouldn’t be very professional.” Despite these varying opinions from students and teachers alike, reactions to this decision will be even more evident after the mandate has been carried out on Monday. There is no telling so far how it may affect retention, focus, and teachers’ abilities to connect with students.
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marking students absent if their cameras are turned off for any minute of the class period. Many teachers are extremely excited about this decision as so many are tired of staring at the same letters or photos on people’s zoom icons. English teacher Ms. Leng reiterated this point “that so many of my students I haven’t seen their faces or heard their voices in months. I’m just looking forward to getting to know my students better.” VAPA teacher Ms. Arg had a similar hope; “with us going back to school soon, I hope that for students not returning, this will offer them a chance to finish off the year in a more fun and engaging way.” Freshman April Folly agreed with her fellow teacher’s positive remarks on this decision, concluding that this “will be my chance to see a cute boy I haven’t seen since the beginning of the year! Monday is going to be such a great day!” Another student, Sophomore Disep Shin, exclaimed how excited he was because of this new mandate; “Class can be so boring sometimes but when people have their cameras on its funny to look at what’s going on behind people’s screens or to look at all the weird facial expressions people make when they think no one’s looking.” One of Shin’s friends, Junior Jus Kidd, reiterated this point as he recollected “some of the stuff you see is crazy. I saw a classmate of mine wearing mittens during math one time. The weirdest moment though has got to be
Justin Condevillamae The Thunderbolt
Leanna Yu (Bottom) was sent to Zoom detention.
SCHOOL TO BE EXTENDED OVER THE SUMMER By Raquel Catpo, Staff Writer
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n order to pass their current grade, Mills students, including those going back to school in-person this semester, must complete their courses by taking a school extension over the summer. This does not apply to students with a minimum of a B grade or higher in all their classes or to anyone outside of Mills High School. The dates for the school extension are weekdays from July 5th to July 26th from 8 AM to 2 PM. A lunch break of twenty minutes at 12:40 PM will be included. After much thought, the Mills administration agreed there were many reasons why this school extension would be beneficial to students. The administration agreed that COVID-19 caused students to attend remote distance learning, which has had a damaging effect on their education. For one, distance learning starts at 9 AM, rather than 8 AM every morning. In only a week, 5 valuable school hours are missed. Additionally, many students, especially freshmen, are struggling with learning and engagement through their computer screens. This leads to a slower rate of learning and poorer grades.
The Thunderbolt
The school extension will take place in person, in Mills’ classrooms and gyms. If needed, the parking lot in the back of the campus will be closed and used as well. Most, if not all, of the social distancing mandates that students returning to school this semester have to follow will be implemented. Masks will be required at all times and numerous social distancing rules will be enforced to ensure everyone’s safety. Furthermore, all teachers and staff must be vaccinated. Rules regarding the new school extension state that students can only be absent two school days, unless tested positive for COVID-19, and must present a guardian or doctor’s note. Weekly tests will occur to confirm students are retaining information. Luna Lovegood (10) thinks it’s a fantastic idea to extend school over the summer. This may be due to the fact she has six As and an A- in her classes. Lovegood commented, “The summer extension is only about a month long so it’s not a big deal. If students didn’t do well in their classes, I believe it’s only right for them to attend a school extension in order to fully get their education.” However, Leanna Yu (12) has a different view on the school extension. She stated, “I’m
not sure if this is the best thing for students; there is enough stress as it is with COVID-19 and summer is supposed to be a break for us. I have two Cs, which means I’ll have to return to high school even after I graduate! I’m technically passing all of my classes, so this new mandate for students is really unfair.” The school extension is frustrating for many seniors at Mills, as they had expected to be finished with high school after this semester. When Mr. Hensley was asked his thoughts on this matter, he explained, “I’m being paid extra so I don’t really mind giving my students more assignments.” After a long pause he added, “I’m sure it’ll get tedious for the students, but it’s for the best. Students should think of this as a growing opportunity to improve their education.” Plenty of other teachers share Mr. Hensley’s sentiments and are optimistic about Mills’ school extension. The new 2021 school extension was announced after being carefully considered by the Mills High School administration, and it has been the hot topic of many debates among students. COVID-19 has changed the learning environment for students drastically, leaving some students to feel relieved, and others discouraged.
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lot has changed this past year due to COVID-19, various aspects of high school students’ lives and interests have been altered, adjusted, and flipped upside down. Seeking out new hobbies and activities to get out of the house and spend some quality time outdoors, there is one common interest that many adolescents have picked up on — horseback riding. The beloved sport has steadily swelled in popularity, becoming the largest fad in Millbrae since boba first arrived on the scene. With the versatility of being able to go for a ride anywhere and everywhere, as well as the stress-reducing benefits that come hand-in-hand with horse-riding, the fun-loving sport has solidified itself as the, dare I say, biggest trend of 2021 thus far within the community. That being said, it is with great honor to announce that this coming fall, a new, highly anticipated sport will be added to the Mills High School Athletics roster: an Equestrian Team, open to all genders. The up and coming team welcomes students from all skill levels and levels of commitment, so do not fret about being unqualified. But it does not end there — get this, no horse is required! The gracious and eccentric new equestrian coach, hired by Mills, is also arriving to campus with a group of beautiful, well-disciplined stallions imported from Ireland to allow for exquisite training for the student riders. If you have a love, or newfound love for horses, are interested in learning more about horse care, or are just looking to try something new, anyone is welcome to try out for the team, so don’t waste your time horsing around, join the mane train! Arriving all the way from Bermuda, the new Equestrian Coach Daisy Briggs excitedly awaits mentoring and teaching all there is to know about the diverse sport. As the student-body eagerly awaits the commencement of tryouts at the beginning of next fall, it is important to gauge the criteria required to participate on the team. Acceptance and recruitment will be considered depending on the following factors: overall horsemanship, commitment to riding, patience-level, and the willingness to learn! Riders of any level are allowed to try out for the team, as well as any gender. Equestrian is one of the few sports in which anyone can compete against each other as equals. Time commitment is relatively low, including riding about 2-5 times per week as a team, completing just 6 hours of training per week, making it ideal for a busy schedule. Uniforms will also be kindly provided by the same company, Neigh like Cray Farms, consisting of jeans and riding boots, both engraved with the belonging team member’s initials. Throughout the regular season, riders will compete in a series of horse races, hopefully earning enough points to send them to compete nationally with opposing teams stretching all across the country. Coach Briggs could hardly contain herself while expressing her primary goal with this team, which is to “bring a more fun atmosphere to the activity, giving off the vibe that anyone can do this.” In line with this intention, games and races will be targeted towards engaging the audience, keeping them engaged in creative throughout the entire duration of the horse races. For example, raffles will be held where audience members will be given the opportunity to purchase a ticket and place a bet on which team they predict will be the victor. The winner’s grand prize is to make the ultimate decision of how much money they want to donate to the Equestrian Team. Said total of money will go towards getting better equipment, cleaning, and food supplies to take care of and better nurture the horses. Better yet, given the Mills team takes a loss, or an individual on the team makes a mistake, slime will be poured over random audience members’ heads. The structure of the team is currently expected to accompany around 17 persons, potentially more depending on the turnout for tryouts. During actual games, the players will be examined by judges, chosen by the audience, for their camaraderie, skills, and cooperation. Before the official game commences, the two opposing teams will draw from a hat to match up competing riders and their assigned horses. Consisting of
By: Jordan Hasty, Staff Writer five individual matches in each of the four events, there will be a total of 20 points up for grabs, the team with the highest number of points granted the winner. Riders get four minutes to practice on the soccer field before heading up to the track and beginning the race. Aside from the exhilarating news and learning the foundation of the team, you may be wondering, where exactly will the participants be riding and practicing? Thankfully, the well-structured track that Mills offers doubles as the perfect location for a racecourse. Since the art of horseback has become overwhelmingly popular, it has been agreed upon to prioritize the equestrian team in the chance that practicing on the track will conflict with other sports. Fortunately, the beneficial location of the Mills campus allows for the team to practice by riding up and down the Spur Trail, learning core skills while enjoying the natural scenic surroundings. Additionally, according to Coach Briggs, practice races will be held along the track to adequately prepare the team members for upcoming games, tournaments, and potential competitions. Depending on the
Local community members who have recently taken up the activity have reported feeling “decreased stress levels,” “uplifted spirits,” and “more grounded than ever before” after going for a ride. As well as the enjoyment you get from being with horses and in nature, it improves your fitness, as all muscles are being put to work, making good performance all the more rewarding. Not only will participating in the sport enhance your skills, but also the quality of your life will be strengthened significantly. While joining a horseback riding team may not be at the forefront of everyone’s bucket list, there is a wide array of benefits students can take away from this experience. Throughout the training process, you will discover various dynamics between you and the horse, discovering more about yourself, your strengths, and areas in need of improvement. Virtually, horseback riding is like having a friendly competition with yourself, consistently growing in discipline and self-awareness. To boot, the benefits of horse riding are immensely impactful. Allowing more time to yourself, freedom, and taking the opportunity to engage in an activity with friends in nature will ensure stress-
Meet Coach Daisy Briggs! I want to bring a a more fun “atmosphere to the activity, giving off the vibe that anyone can do this.
I just want to make sure these kids “have a team sport experience that will
enhance their school years. I hope the team and interest continues to grow after next years successes!
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New Equestrian Team Saddles Up At Mills!
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success of the team, the possibilities are endless. Before reaching that point, the individual sport serves well enough as a great opportunity to test yourself and your abilities to make yourself better. Mills student and die-hard equestrian Sophomore Kellie Kumquat who has consistently ridden since age 12 shared her favorite aspect of the sport, “Being able to build a connection between myself and the horse; especially because I do not always ride the same horse as I don’t own one myself. It is also a stress reliever from school and a busy life while providing an opportunity to relax doing something I love.” From an outsider’s perspective, the sport may seem silly or insubstantial, yet the reality is that there is so much to learn and improve on, even for experienced riders. Not to mention, the benefits are amazing.
rates to dwindle. Aside from the personal advantages, the sport itself has so much to offer, catering to its lovability. It’s an experience that allows for a connection to one of earth’s most majestic creatures with the supplementary therapeutic aspect. Commenting on the perfect antidote for life’s daily stresses, Briggs concluded “I just want to make sure these kids have a team sport experience that will enhance their school years; I know this team will allow that for everyone.” If you, or anyone you know may be interested in joining the new Equestrian Team here at Mills, do not hesitate. Dates for tryouts are currently TBA, so look out for announcements/updates soon on the Mills website. Your opportunity for a journey that you may only experience once in your lifetime awaits. Saddle up!
Mills Thunderbolt Exclusive: Mills Junior to feature as a backup dancer in Ariana Grande’s upcoming music video! Read about it at: millsthunderbolt.com
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The Legend of Samuel Lam, The Jackfruit King By: Magdalene Ko, Staff Writer
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or high school jackfruit lovers across America, the National Student Jackfruit Competition (NSJC) is an opportunity to showcase their jackfruit knowledge and skills. Although there are many types of fruit, an uncommon standout is the jackfruit. Hailing from Malaysia and Southern India, these fruits are sweet and chewy, with an iconic spiky exterior. The contest allows all highschoolers to join, and Mills is incredibly proud of this year’s winner, our very own Samuel Lam! Walking past Coldstone one day, Lam decided he wanted some dried mangoes. When he bit into the fruit, however, he realized he’d actually eaten jackfruit, not a mango. Thus, started his interest in jackfruit after realizing he “liked the texture and taste of it.” It was fun to eat and didn’t have too strong a taste, but still sweet enough to not be boring. After going to Thailand and learning how they grow, he had an even greater admiration for jackfruit. One day, as he was scrolling online, he found an announcement for the NSJC. When he read through the requirements, he “knew that [he’d] have a good chance.” Since he’d begun his love for jackfruit, he slowly learned more about it. When asked how he felt about entering such a competitive contest, he stated, “I was super excited and nervous. I never expected to win, I just entered for fun.” Due to COVID-19, he submitted his videos for fun, never thinking he’d get a response, much less win the entire contest. The NSJC consists of three components. The first requires the participant to open and eat jackfruit as quickly as they can. Normally, all contestants would fly to a location to compete, but this year, they simply had to submit a video of the cutting. According to the National Jackfruit Organization’s (NJO) official guidelines, the video “must have the table in view, along with their head and hands at all times.” They must also first show to the camera the jackfruit has not been tampered with, and the camera must stay in a fixed position. The next aspect consists of having the contestants take three days to display their appreciation for jackfruit in any art form they choose. Most choose to draw traditional pictures, with paint and coloring utensils, while some take other uncon-
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elly Hensley, 9th grade English teacher and Journalism advisor, is one of the most beloved teachers at Mills. Mr. Hensley’s main hobby is surfing, and in hope of inspiring his students to take up surfing, he organized an event with some of his students to teach them how to surf at Linda Mar beach in Pacifica. Some of the students include Josh Choe(9), John Broussard(9), and Jason Pember(9). All of the students seemed ecstatic about learning how to surf with Mr. Hensley. Before the trip Josh Choe said, “Mr. Hensley is my favorite teacher and I am looking forward to learning how to surf.” John Broussard added, “Yeah, I have always wanted to know how to surf and I am so glad that Mr. Hensley is holding this clinic to show us how.”
ventional routes such as writing songs, poems, or carving. Although materials were previously provided by the NJO, contestants must use their own this year. They are also expected to do a time lapse, if possible, of their art. If not possible, then they must submit progress pictures of them working on their pieces. The third and final section is a jackfruit centric trivia game. Students use this opportunity to prove how much they actually know about jackfruit, including its origins, the way it’s grown, and more. A winner is determined by accumulating the highest number of points from each section. The president of the NJO, President Snow, described the point calculation as “a way to ensure all methods to appreciate jackfruit are covered. If a student is not as gifted in the art section, they can compensate by doing especially well in the trivia part.” The eating contest ranks the contestants by time. First place gets 30 points, second gets 20, and third gets 10 points. For the art section, judges score the art pieces and add the scores to the original rankings. They rank the art in categories of visual, message, and technique, with each section costing ten points. During the last section, an algorithm calculates and adds the new points to the previous ones, culminating in a final decisive score. The setup was similar to Kahoot, as students had to hit a buzzer as quickly as possible and answer a question about jackfruit. However, the students are only competing against themselves, and if they don’t know the answer, they can skip the question. Although many would think the eating portion is hardest, Lam states it is relatively easy to open a jackfruit. “You just cut the top and the bottom off, then you cut it in half. After, you take out the middle rind section, then the pods of fruit, and that’s pretty much it.” These pods of fruit are the part he must eat as quickly as possible. His method involves eating the entire pod first, then removing the seed inside while chewing through the rest of the pod. The reasoning behind his procedure is, “it’s simpler to eat the entire pod instead of picking the seed out first for me. It might be a little more dangerous, but it’s competitive eating.” Lam had tight competition for this section, taking second place for being one second late. The first place contestant of this section, Primrose Everdeen, secured her win with a time of one minute flat, while Lam took second with one minute one second. He reflects stating, “she totally didn’t seem like she’d be capable of winning this. She looked like she would struggle cutting and gouging on the jackfruit, but she surprised everyone when she won.” Despite not taking first place, second place ensured that the ultimate win was within reach for Lam. For the second section, Lam chose Adobe Illustrator as his art medium. Illustrator is a program that allows users to draw digital pictures. It’s a painstaking process, where one must pay careful attention to every detail. He describes his process of
drawing a happy jackfruit, saying “I make a general sketch on a piece of paper, then import it to illustrator. I lower the opacity, then I pretty much trace the outline and do details and color from there.” Despite sounding relatively simple, the reality is it can easily take at least a month to get a satisfactory drawing. As the competition has high stakes, every single aspect must be correct to convey the full meaning of the picture. Lam decided to draw a jackfruit that conveyed his internal hopes. “I’d grown up liking jackfruit,” he commented, “so I tried to show the meaning of jackfruit.” Jackfruit is often considered a miracle food for being rich in nutrients and easy to grow. To Lam, jackfruit is a symbol of strength. “Jackfruit can be sorta bland, but it almost never tastes bad. It’s super healthy for you because it has a lot of nutrients, and it’s pretty much disease and drought resistant when you’re growing it.” This inspiration caused him to pay extra attention to his artwork. The piece he created, a jackfruit set amongst a background of clouds and mountains, exuded strength and warmth. His background is similar to the hills that are home to the jackfruit, a beautiful landscape of color and nature. Lam easily claimed victory in this section, getting twenty points higher than all other contestants. Judge Odair remarks “That picture was a beautiful piece of work. I’m surprised he was able to finish all that in just two days.” Lam’s picture far outshone any other participant’s submissions, propelling him to first in the overall competition. Trivia, the last section, was the least physically demanding of all three challenges. Board member Hawthorne explained that “all the questions cover everything about jackfruit. We try to get a wide range so the students can really prove they know their jackfruit facts.” Lam initially started the session worried someone would overtake his top spot. However, as the hundred questions continued, he grew more and more confident of himself, hitting the buzzer almost as soon as the question was shown. His answers were practically all correct, displaying the amount of time he’d spent studying for this competition. He described his feelings: “I knew I’d studied a lot, and that I’m really competitive and quick when I’m relaxed. I was really scared that I’d get nervous and forget everything or that I wouldn’t react fast enough.” All his worries were ultimately unwarranted, as he answered 98 of the questions correctly and faster than all his peers. After taking home a bag filled with jackfruit merchandise, a certificate to a lifetime supply of jackfruit at any store, and a trophy, Lam says he plans to return and defend his title of Jackfruit Master the next year. Despite the high demands of the competition, he had fun, and to him, that’s all that matters. Whether he keeps his title next, Mills is proud to have a jackfruit genius on the Viking ship!
On the day of the event 12 students showed up at Linda Mar beach along with Mr. Hensley. Mr. Hensley rented 12 surfboards and wetsuits from Sonlight Surfshop for the students and began his surfing lesson plan. Mr. Hensley started by teaching the students basic surfing by having them place their surfboards on the sand and showing them how to paddle and hop on their boards. Mr. Hensley comments, “Some of these kids were picking it up a lot faster than I expected to, and a few did struggle a little bit. John [Brousard] to name one, but it’s nothing that more practice can’t help.” After that introduction, the students were ready to get in the water. The conditions were near perfect for surfing with the waves being around 3 feet in height. There were a couple other surfers and swimmers out in the water with them, but it wasn’t too crowded, the perfect conditions for beginner surfers. All the students were having a great time learning how to surf. John Broussard stated, “I have never surfed before, but I have learned so much so far and am having such a fun time. I think I might take up surfing as one of my hobbies now.” Nearly all of the students were catching waves and surfing them in. Things were going fantastic until one student saw something terrifying. A sight that doctors have said will leave him traumatized for the rest of his life. The student screamed in horror, alerting Mr. Hensley, who immediately began barking direc-
tions for the students to swim back to shore, and even swimming out to help some. All of the students scrambled back to shore in panic. Jason Pember said, “I was so petrified and swam back to shore as fast as I possibly could to get away from it.” Josh Choe also added, “When I saw it, I was frozen in place. If not for Mr. Hensley’s immediate actions, I don’t know if I would have gotten back to shore in time.” It was later revealed that the “it” that Jason Pember amd Joshua Choe were referring to was Mr. Burdette in nothing except for his board shorts. Mr. Hensley said afterwards, “It was a really good event that got unfortunately ruined by a tragedy. I hope that we can try this again with more success next time.” And while it was a scary experience for many, students were open to the idea of trying again. John Broussard stated, “Yeah, it didn’t go that well today, but if we could hold this event again in a safe capacity I would definitely attend.”
Mr. Hensley’s Student Surfing Trip Gone wrong
By: Maxwell Zaninovich, Staff Writer
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BY
ED EATURES F , : ANGELA DIMAANO
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Opinions
1. Would you rather have 4 inch long talons or 4 inch long fangs that hang out of your mouth? I would rather have 4 inch long talons because I would feel like the Wolverine, except his claws are even longer. Having 4 inch long talons would mean that it will be harder for me to type on a computer and hold things properly. I would also have to be careful about not scratching other people if I bump into them by accident. I don’t think I can walk in shoes with 4 inch talons on my feet, so I’d have to wear only socks. The upsides of long talons is that I can defend myself more efficiently than with 4 inch long fangs.
3. Would you rather be an anthropomorphic airplane or be an anthropomorphic submarine? I would rather be an anthropomorphic airplane because I want to be able to travel quickly and fly over beautiful landscapes. Submarines are slow and the deep ocean sometimes freaks me out. Airplanes also look more kawaii than submarines.
2. Would you rather have a gigantic, hooked nose of a bird or have large, protruding eyes from a frog? I would rather have a gigantic hooked birdlike nose because I think big noses have character. I feel like big, bulging frog eyes will ruin my eye contact with other people. There is a saying “Eyes are the window to the soul.” I also think birds, in general, look prettier than frogs.
4. Would you rather wear stinky clothes to school or go to school with botched makeup? I would rather go to school with botched makeup because I don’t want the stinky clothes to bother the people who sit next to me. Both choices would likely make people avoid me with the latter being possibly worse. Hygiene is very important to me.
Would You Rather?
By Rita Li Staff Writer
6. Would you rather have Mida's touch or Medusa's stare? 5. Would you rather have the ability to teleport or shapeshift? I would rather be able to teleport so I would be able travel quickly and escape from danger instantaneously. For example, if I was trapped in a room, or lost in a cavern, I would be able to teleport out.
I would rather have Medusa’s stare because I can perform everyday tasks without turning everything into gold. I would have to isolate myself, but fortunately, I could still text and call people. Both of these powers can be fatal to other human beings, as Midas touch can turn anything you touch into gold while Medusa’s stare turns people into stone. I would have to socially distance myself from other people because I do not want to kill them by accidentally touching them and turning them into gold. The biggest drawback of Mida’s touch is that I don’t think I will be able to use my electronics, piano, or wear my clothes if they turn completely into gold. I also cannot eat anything due to Mida’s touch, which might be a problem.
7. Would you rather always slip on a banana peel whenever you see your crush or croak like a frog whenever you interact with your crush? Both choices are really embarrassing for me, but I would rather croak like a frog whenever I interact with my crush. I would tell them that I am Kermit’s reincarnation and hope that they are a muppets fan. They would probably avoid me because the frog voice is really creepy. I don’t want to slip on a banana peel whenever I see them because I want my body to be intact and unbruised. I could still talk to them normally but they would be concerned about why I slip on banana peels whenever I see them. I wouldn’t want to get injured just so I could see my crush!
Opinions
To read the full article, go to millsthunderbolt.com.
F
or centuries, Humankind has been fighting an eternal battle within itself to form a perfect society. However, things like greed, status, and not knowing how to eat food the correct way has devolved the human race, to the point where these things are common to find in the world. This article will focus on the third problem so we as a community can at least start somewhere in becoming the ideal utopian world. There are many ways to enjoy delicious and feel-good treats, and for the most part, society hasn’t been able to popularize one way of eating each candy. For example, the Kit-Kat bar. One of the most controversial sweets due to its groundbreaking design, the Kit-Kat has torn society in half trying to figure out the correct way to eat it. Well fear no more, as we have found the solution. Instead of having to take the time and break each peace apart, the best way of eating a Kit-Katt is like a cookie: biting right into it. It takes less work, it works effectively, and doesn’t change the way the Kit-Kat tastes. The next snack is Oreos, which is a sandwich cookie that is branded to go perfectly with milk. Although I have had my fair share of oreos in my lifetime, I don’t agree with the idea that they go best with milk. Personally, I’ve found that dissolving the cookies in hot water and drinking it is much more delicious and efficient. But to each their own. When eating veggies and fruits, their long history of existence with our ancestors has made the way we eat these types of foods a form of common etiquette. The first fruit we will be talking about is the orange. Rich with Vitamin C, these fruits are best for those sunny days when you’re out running around with your friends playing all types of sports. The most important thing to remember about the orange is that every part of it is edible, so the best way to eat the fruit is by biting straight into it. The juices from the peel combines with the juices from the inside give you all the energy you need for the day. The second fruit is the banana. The process of eating bananas is similar to the orange, except instead of eating the fruit with the peel and the interior, you only eat the peel. To read the full article, go to millsthunderbolt.com.
By Misael Gomez Sports Editor
Student Opinions on Going Back to School
n response to growing pressures from teacher’s unions, students, health conscious parent organizations, and independent medical experts, the San Mateo Unified High School District has opted to run in-person classes under a hybrid model after months of planning. In order to maintain social distancing protocols and minimise the risk of virus transmission, the district has implemented some safety guidelines. All class meetings are going to be continued via Zoom as zero infections have been reported among users this school year. Students are expected to take a training course and are being tested on behavior, health, and safety regulations. Restrooms will be completely sanitized each hour even if nobody uses it. 3 chromebooks will be available per student to prevent transmission through shared items. And most importantly, students will be allowed to drink from their water bottles outside the classroom. The provisions have garnered mixed reactions from students, with some praising it as the long overdue plan that should have happened earlier and others criticizing it as a trap by the district to force students to pay attention in class. At Mills, the debate is primarily centered around how students feel like it would affect their personal lives with no regard for others. Supporters of the hybrid model believe that returning to an in-person class would boost their academic and social performance in school. Many miss being able to physically intimidate and harass other students, with them being relegated to backhanded comments in private group chats and anonymous internet trolling. Others see it as an opportunity to exercise their civil liberties on an increasingly oppressive local government that’s pushing a false narrative of health and safety. Distance learning supporters believe that the people and the environment of the resumed in-person classes are too dirty to be around with. Many viewed in-person classes to be conflicting with their other plans and activities, such as sleeping, eating, and playing video games during Zoom classes. Some view it as an attack on their civil rights, as they believe students who are able to return to classes have an academic and social advantage from not being exposed to distractions at home. In a semi-legal poll and questionnaire released by The Thunderbolt, students were asked to voice their response to the district’s decision to reopen schools. One poll question asked students whether they chose to continue distance learning or return to campus under a hybrid model. Around 59% of students declared that they were continuing distance learning and 42% favored returning to campus. The other poll question asked students whether they believed that the district should enforce distance learning or hybrid model, or let the students choose what they want. In a strong showing of support for civil liberties, around 71% of students believed that they should have the right to choose, while 18% believed in enforcing distance learning on all students and 12% hybrid model. When asked to discuss why they preferred to continue distance learning or move towards a hybrid model, students gave a wide range of responses. Those who wanted to continue distance learning generally had a distrust in the cleanliness and the safety of the school environment or believed that their time in school could be spent better elsewhere. Ang Dolla (12), returned to distance learning because she was not willing to “expose myself to higher concentrations of dioxide, which I heard in large amounts is linked to excessive brain damage and loss of motor skills.” Madison Wyoming (12) added that “people at school are dirty and I don’t want to get sick” as her justification for staying home. Showing concern over time management, Blank Moment (12) stated that “IF I GO BACK TO SCHOOL HOW WILL I LOOK AT TWITTER DURING CLASS??? ALSO I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO WATCH ANIME DURING SCHOOL HOURS ANYMORE!!!” Others had a more moderate position over their time value argument, such as Bingus Bongus (12), who stated that “I would like to keep staying in distance learning so that I can keep inviting my friend over to my house.” Bongus Bingus (12) also held the same position, stating: “I want to continue using distance learning as an excuse to go to my friend’s house to game. I can’t let something so lame as school put an end to our Among Us tournaments.” Tyrone Johnson III (12) believed that returning to school would take away time from his other responsibilities, sharing that “[Distance Learning] gives me more time to mop the grass, as I have to help out with chores. “ On the opposite end of the argument, people who chose to return to campus often wanted to settle grievances, and embrace the negative school environment. They also believed that they individually can best prevent the spread of the virus across the campus. Idaho Nebraska (12) reminisced on his prior in-person high school experience, stating that “I really miss the general feeling of dread and despair that I get from walking the campus, so I figured that hybrid learning was the perfect opportunity to return to the doom and gloom of seeing other people on a consistent basis.”
The Correct Way to Eat Foods
By Justin Condevillamar News Editor I
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Angela dimaano
the Next WNBA star ? By: Madison Wong, Opinions Editor
You may have seen her attending classes and hanging out
*Happy April Fools! This special edition of The Thunderbolt contains all fictional articles in honor of April Fools Day. Please note that pages 6 & 7 are excluded from this issue.
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with friends as normal. Little do you know, Senior Angela Dimaano has a secret that she has kept hidden from everyone at Mills - until now. Standing at 5’ 1”, Dimaano is the number one women’s high school basketball recruit in the 2020-2021 school year. Not only is she the number one recruit, she would also break the record for shortest collegiate basketball player, which is currently held by Temeka Johnson at 5’ 3”. She usually plays shooting guard, but if needed, she could also play center. In 4th grade, Dimaano realized she had a gift, and she hasn’t let go of a basketball since. She has always played for the school she attended, but to keep her secret revealed until the time was right, she decided to stop playing basketball for Mills after her junior year. Colleges, however, didn’t need for her to play her senior year to realize they wanted her on their team. In fact, colleges have been paying attention to her since elementary school; a scout for University of Southern California was spotted in the background of one of Dimaano’s 5th grade highlight videos. Since then, Dimaano’s name has been buzzing around the athletic department of the best basketball schools nationwide. Being so sought after, it is not surprising that she has had several Zoom calls with some of the top colleges in the country for women’s basketball, including Notre Dame, Duke, and Stanford. Dimaano is the first Mills student Stanford has taken an interest in in years, breaking the infamous streak of Mills students being rejected by Stanford. She is also expecting Baylor to reach out soon. In an exclusive interview with The Thunderbolt, Dimaano exclaims, “I never thought I would make it this far. I always thought I would be limited to [playing in] middle and high school, but now that I can continue, I’m excited to take the chance.” Although it is a little late for colleges to be recruiting seniors, Dimaano wanted as much time to think about her decision as possible, so they made an exception for her. In the same interview, she reveals that her top choice is Duke. She explains, “I’m excited for the future. I plan on attending Duke and moving onto the WNBA if I have the opportunity to do so.”
Spo
The Thunderbolt
Mills Football Team Recruits from Local Middle Schools By: Joshua Choe, Staff Writer
Starting next season, the Mills High School football team will be looking to recruit players from lo-
cal middle schools around the Bay Area. Since both the JV and Varsity teams have fewer than 10 players, there have not been enough players to fill the roster this season. Due to COVIDtt-19, participation rates for football have dropped significantly, after already facing a downfall in players from previous years. Parents have been keeping their children from signing up for football, as those who already signed up were being removed from the team by their concerned parents. Practices look void; with only a few players showing up, Coach [insert fake name for the coach] cannot run any plays and can do nothing but run conditioning drills for the remaining players. “It’s really disappointing that I can’t play this year. I was really looking forward to football even though there’s COVID because this is also my last year on the team,” says Varsity football captain, Hanny Manns (12). Manns isn’t alone in this opinion, as many other senior players on the team were crushed to discover that they wouldn’t be playing their last year. Similarly, underclassmen are also devastated by the results from low player turnout. Chris Kanto (9) commented, “Yeah, I was really looking forward to my first year in highschool football.”.
\BREAKING NEWS To combat the challenge presented to the football team, Coach [name] will now be allowing middle school players to join the team. Potential players have already been scouted and contacted, but there are still scouts attending flag football practices at middle schools and outside divisions. Qualifying requirements seem to be mostly weight and height, however, players that don’t meet those standards have also been recruited. If you’re on a flag football team and are a middle schooler, you may have a chance to qualify. “I’m really excited for this opportunity to be able to play on a high school team of all teams to play on. Can’t wait to play this season and have fun against the bigger and older players,” says Braxton Kane from Taylor Middle School. Braxton, who prefers to be called Brax, is among many other eighth graders that have been picked to play on the team. Only two seventh graders have been picked to play, with the limit being at seventh grade. A GoFundMe has been set up to buy equipment that will fit the recruited middle schoolers. The Mills High School football team welcomes the middle schoolers that have already been recruited and looks forward to their performance during the season.
orts
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Entertainment
The Thunderbolt
mills student signs major record deal by: katelyn chang, staff writer M
ills’ very own star on the rise, rapper Misael Gomez (12) has just announced that he has received a record deal with Atlantic Records, a premier music label in the United States. As a high school student releasing self-created music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud, this is Gomez’s next big break. With his new found interest in music taking off in June of 2020, in less than a year he has been able to achieve many milestones that normally take many artists years. Atlantic Records, currently one of the top labels in the country, has signed many popular artists including Cardi B, Bruno Mars, and Charlie Puth. When interviewing Gomez, he was able to share the utterly amazing story of how he got recognized by the very CEO of Atlantic Records, Craig Kallman. His newest album “Guidelines” had been the subject of Kallman’s sons’ newest music addiction, even going so far as to create an Instagram fanpage for him. Gomez, who had later received an invitation to a private meeting from Kallman himself, had called it “completely unexpected”. During the meeting Kallman had told him “he couldn’t stop hearing the song playing in the house 24/7” and that he “had to find the artist his son was so obsessed with.” And once his son introduced him to Gomez’s songs, Kallman couldn’t help but be impressed. Scheduling a quick arrangement with his company, Kallman offered Gomez a deal. Gomez elaborated that this deal offered him a one-year contract under the label along with a $500,000 fund to produce new music. The company also promised to provide him with any resources needed for marketing and recording of the songs. This includes being able to work with top producers including Dr.Dre and FINNEAS. With a company that has a yearly revenue of more than 87 million dollars, the possibilities are endless. Not only will Gomez have access to a wider network of professionals but he will also have higher quality recording equipment to further improve his music. As for the future of his music career, Gomez has repeatedly stated his interest in continuing on, and calls this record deal his “next big step.” Because of Atlantic Records’ connections in the music industry, he has now landed a collaboration with rapper KYLE, the same rapper that had originally been one of the first big artists to recognize his music. Now, Gomez will finally be able to collaborate with him on a song that will be featured on his next studio album. Currently working on his sophomore album, Gomez hopes that his new music will allow him to gain even more attention. As the first Mills student to ever get signed to a music label, he will now have an opportunity to expand his career further. With hopes to go even bigger in the industry, this will play a large factor in ensuring his success.
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