The senior class speaks about the lack of Senior Quotes in the yearbook
News
The Dehumanizing Language Assembly
How it’s brought mixed student reactions
Filipino-American History Month
FAA’s Journey to SF’s SOMA District
On Track
Exploring the New Electric Trains by Caltrain
Features
Passion for Powerlifting
Matthew Situ discovers strength and culture through powerlifting.
Brother’s Cafe Sampling
A taste of comfort at Millbrae’s newest diner.
The Longship Library
Who are they and what do they do?
Center Spread
Meet You You Xue
Millbrae city council member and Mills alumni
Yes on Proposition 32 How it afects student workers
Stars and Stripes
Celebrities Infuencing Elections
The Thunderbolt
CONTENTS
Opinions
Bring Back Paper Towels
Why Mills should bring back paper towels in the bathrooms.
“Too Old” for Trickor-Treating?
Trick or Treat! Or is it too late?
The Silent Killer
How short-form media is deteriorating our attention spans.
Sports
Varsity Flag Football
Girls Vars Flag Football dominates Fall athletics.
Volleyball Tournament
Tune in for the annual Fall Volleyball Tourney at Mills!
Mills Girls Varsity Cross Country
Insights on their latest season
Entertainment
Sonny Angels
The trinket takeover!
The Wild Robot
Dreamworks’ latest triumph in heartfelt storytelling.
ON TRACK CALTRAIN GREEN ENERGY
It's a much better system, Much cleaner, much nicer.”
DeBois
The Dehumanizing Language Assembly
Tianyou Lee STAFF WRITER
Continued reading on page 4
“B
“We could educate, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the students, up to the individual to take that and to implement it into their own life.”
Isang Bagsak: FAA
and Filipino-
American History Month
Abby Chai CENTER SPREAD EDITOR
1
Colombe Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte ($2.99)
2
GT’s Synergy Living in Gratitude Raw Kombucha ($3.49)
“It’s a
FilipinoAmerican Alliance. We are open to everyone, whether you have friends, whether you have distant family, or whether you just want to learn more.”
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La
Paris Baguette Maple Sweet Cream Cold Brew ($6.39)
Powerlifting assions for
By: Warren Shiu, Staff Writer
Justover a year ago, Matthew Situ (12) entered the world of weightlifting, challenging himself to reach new heights in an activity where every ounce of strength counts.
Powerlifting wasn’t the path Situ initially envisioned for himself, but it quickly evolved into more than just a workout routine. After trying various sports over the years, lifting became the outlet where he could channel his eforts. No other activities resonated with him in the same way, which eventually led to the discovery of something new that truly excited him.“Swimming kind of felt like something I didn’t want to do,” Situ stated. It was time for me to become a trailblazer, to follow my own path.” Situ’s dissatisfaction with swimming brought forth a turning point. He knew he needed to pursue something that truly connected with him. This desire to fnd his own path is what pushed him to start weightlifting. “The frst time I stepped into the gym, it was a very inviting environment. Everyone helps each other out.
But something I didn’t see was a lot of Asian lifters,” he pointed out. The supportive environment Situ found in the gym fueled his want to continue. And as he spent more time lifting, he couldn’t help but notice the lack of representation of Asian lifters. This realization became the spark for him to fnd a way to express his cultural identity within the sport.“I wanted to connect with a brand that promoted Asian heritage and inclusivity. And Fracture caught my eye, so I reached out to them,” he said.
By partnering with Fracture, a gym apparel brand inspired by East Asian media and culture, Situ found a way to combine his love for lifting with the comfort he has for his heritage. Through this collaboration, he shared this pride with others, giving students at Mills High an opportunity to support both his journey and culture.
By: Jada Pa, Staff Writer
With the arrival of fall comes the college application season, an important time as students begin to plan their future beyond high school. Navigating this process can be overwhelming, but our new college and career advisors are here to guide students during this period. Mills welcomes Mr. Reyes and Mr. Hockaday who are excited to support students as they take their next steps.
Mr. Reyes, originally from San Francisco, moved to South San Francisco at 14, where he attended South San Francisco High School After graduating, Mr. Reyes enrolled at City College of San Francisco and later transferred to CSU East Bay in Hayward. While he enjoyed his time at City College, he found it hard to connect with others.
“People call [East Bay] a commuter school, where people drive in, they Bart in, and then they drive and Bart out. To be honest, I didn’t make a lot of friends because no one was really trying to make friends,” said Mr. Reyes.
Before joining Mills, he worked in supportive housing, helping immigrant families secure afordable living situations. He also gained signifcant experience as a general manager in various quick-service restaurants. It was there he discovered his passion for working with young people. When this position at Mills opened up, Mr. Reyes quickly seized the opportunity.
“At Teaspoon, Salt & Straw, I worked with a lot of high school students demographic, high school and college-age students. A lot of ask me about other parts of advice,” said Mr. Reyes. “I think I’ve had old employees that graduated and they tell me,
Asa career coordinator, Mr. Reyes helps students explore career paths that align with their interests. He assists them through building resumes and developing interview skills.
“I’m here to walk them through that whole process,” said Mr. Reyes. ”Particularly for seniors and juniors, if they don’t know what to pursue after high school, I help them discover what they want to do. Whether it’s what to major in, if they even want to go to college, or if they have no idea what they want to do. I’m there to help them fnd direction.”
As for Mr. Hockaday, the other college and career advisor attended Skyline College before earning his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University. A San Bruno native, he graduated from Capuchino High School—“Mills’ rival,” as he pointed out. Mr. Hockaday assists students with all aspects of the college application journey. He said he chose Mills because he “loves the culture the teachers have built.”
Like many students, he wasn’t always sure of what he wanted to do. Over time, he realized that helping others was something he truly cared about. This led him to pursue a career in supporting high school students as they prepare for college.
“I knew I wanted to help people in one way or another,” said Mr. Hockaday.
BROTHER'SCAF
TheBrothers Cafe, a classic American diner nestled in the corner of Magnolia Street, opened its doors for the frst time in June of this year. Although it marked the end of the decades-long establishment of the Little Whale restaurant, it also brought in new excitement for Millbrae’s residents. As the cafe’s third ofcial location, many people dined there with high expectations for the quality comfort food the brothers are known for. At the beginning of this October, I also had the opportunity to experience the highly anticipated restaurant. It’s safe to say that The Brothers Cafe did not disappoint.
EWhen I frst walked into the cafe, I was greeted with a modernized take on a retro-American diner: sage ribbed cushion seating that ran across one side of the diner, a handwritten blackboard menu displayed over a bustling stainless steel kitchen, and simple orbed lights hanging down from the ceiling. The Brothers Cafe also operates on an order-upfront basis, allowing a more casual dining experience. The restaurant stands out amongst the mix of ethnic restaurants in the city, providing Millbrae with a new American breakfast hotspot in addition to the token Millbrae Pancake House.
To best gauge the versatility of the cafe, I ate there once in the morning and again in the afternoon a week later.
SAMPLING
To frst get a good feel for the diner’s breakfast menu, I ordered one savory and one sweet item, adding on a house-style Arnold Palmer to compliment the meal.
The All-American - $15 (5 stars)
By: Amelia Naughten, News Editor
The All American is the cafe’s signature bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich served with a side of hash browns–the serving size defnitely lived up to the $15 cost. The bread had a perfec toasted and buttery outside, with fufy scrambled eggs and sweet within. The proportions in the sandwich were just right, with the eggs balancing out the dryness of the bread, and the bacon adding a pop of favor. Although the hashbrowns erred on the bland side, upon sprinkling some salt, they became a good palate cleanser between bites of the sandwich.
Belgian Wafes - $12 (4 stars)
The Belgian Wafe consisted of the same simple sweet favor as m other homemade wafes, although the Brother’s Cafe did an excellent job of ensuring it had a crunchy shell with a soft inside. The real star of the show was the home-made chocolate whipped cream, surrounded by freshly chopped strawberries. The cream, with faint hints of chocolate and an airy texture, never overpowered the other elements of the dish, rather enhancing the favor of the wafe.
Continue reading on millsthunderbolt.com
Michael
Fearon, a 2020 Mills graduate, returned to Mills and is now the head coach of the Boys Water Polo Team. During our interview, he explained how his postgraduate journey brought him back to his former high school, and what set him up for the events happening in his life now.
Did you do water polo when you were in high school? When did it become one of your interests?
By: Jaelle Patilon, Features Editor
Sailing Through Student Creations Library Longship with
Longship
Library is a student led magazine at Mills comprised of art, pictures, poems, short stories, and more brought to life through student creations with the goal of highlighting student expression.
Sparked from an idea two students shared, the magazine was established last fall. Juniors at the time, Justin Shih and Zhiyuan Ma, already had ideas from the previous year of developing a website for students to share their work. However they ultimately decided they wanted to turn this group into an ofcial club with a physical publication.
“What prompted me to really bring it to life was probably my passion in art and creative work in
general, so I was glad to be able to design the magazine while letting other students express their creativity too,” said Shih (12).
“One of my favorite things about creating the magazine is how much creative liberties I get when designing the format,” Shih adds, “It’s also very fun to draw out the cover designs as it’s what you and everyone else sees when the issues are fnally out and distributed.”
The club’s advisor, Ms. Schroder explains, “As an advisor, I love being involved in the publication process to see how the students develop a design for each issue and sharing ideas on how we could encourage more content from the student body.”
Longship Library publishes twice within a school year, once nearing the end of the fall semester and another in the spring. They print their magazine through Barnes and Noble which allows personal books and magazines to be produced in large quantities.
However before sending in the fnished product and purchasing it, the editors review all elements of the magazine comprised together to ensure it has proper formatting and appeals to their chosen theme. It integrates the diferent styles of each artist and writer to truly emphasize its student led foundation.
Longship Library meets Thursday’s in the Library; always looking and encouraging more students to join the staf or to submit their personal works.
From only having an editorial board to now having several staf writers to produce stories for their issues, they’ve seen growth in their club since they’ve begun.
“We are happy with the growth, but we wish we could increase our reach to more students and encourage them to submit work, too,” said Ms. Schroder.
Currently, submissions are open for Longship Library’s fall issue with a deadline of November 15th. If interested in the club or having your work in the magazine, you can reach out to Ms. Schroder through email.
“By the time I came to Mills in 2016, I had already been playing water polo for around four years so I was already very involved with the sport.” (He played all four years of high school). “My water polo journey started when I was nine. I began playing because my parents were trying to get me to be a bit healthier and over time I started really enjoying the sport.”
What was the transition from high school to college and then coaching like?
“I only recently graduated college, but…I had a number of great experiences both in coaching and in my career’s feld. After I graduated Mills, I traveled to Washington, DC to study at George Washington University [where] I played for the Division 1 Men’s Water Polo team and ultimately captained the team my senior year,” he said. “I had just moved back to the Bay Area from Washington, DC [when] Mr.Keller called me to ask if I, or anyone I knew, was interested in coaching at Mills... For the past two years I had been Head Coach at Burlingame Aquatic Club’s High School Boys program, so I actually knew a number of athletes at Mills. After talking to some of the players, it was clear that they needed some additional coaching experience and I wanted to make sure that the athletes felt supported.”
It’s amazing how our very own Mills alumni returned to coach at his old high school for the sake of the athletes on the team. The Thunderbolt wishes both Coach Fearon and the Boys Water Polo Team the best of luck during their matches for the rest of their fall season.
Meaga So Staff Writer
2 0 2 4 ELECTIONELECTION THE 2 0 2 4
STARS AND STRIPES
By Center Spread Editor, Abigail Chai
How Celebrities Influence Elections
he night of September 10th marks a momentous day in American politics, with the first debate between 2024 presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump taking place; however, that wasn’t the only pivotal event that occurred that night. Just a few minutes after its conclusion, singer and songwriter Taylor Swift released her official endorsement of Harris to her 283 million Instagram followers firmly stating, “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice.” Swift is just one of many who have recently come out in support of Harris, with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars rallying behind the Democratic nominee. Drawing the support from stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and even Charli XCX- who famously tweeted “KAMALA IS BRAT” in reference to her meme-turned-albumHarris’s renowned advocates are some of the most prominent figures in pop culture today. However, Trump has also attracted his own group of star-studded allies, receiving support from figures such as Logan Paul, Hulk Hogan, and most notably, Elon Musk. And while these big-name endorsements don’t necessarily make or break elections, they undoubtedly do matter, especially amongst younger voters.
Overtime, political scientists and analysts discovered that endorsements have shown substantial influence in spurring electoral activity in the country. For example, in just 24 hours Swift’s pivotal Instagram post which featured a link to “vote.
gov”- a website that outlines the voter registration process - tractioned over 400,000 clicks to the site; a striking number compared to the average 30,000 viewers it received beforehand. Swift’s impact isn’t an isolated case either, with a Harvard Study finding that nonprofits have experienced significantly higher registration numbers and poll worker sign-ups shortly following widely publicized celebrity backings. And although it is difficult to discern their true effectiveness in swaying votes to one particular party or candidate, celebrities’ unique ability to connect to their audiences lead many to believe that they can influence the voting behavior of millions of fans. A widely contended belief though, the evidence of them actually affecting election results is sparse. For instance, senior Matthew Situ (12) admits that an endorsement by a favored celebrity may sway his vote, stating, “it might prompt me to reevaluate the candidate.” However, he ultimately concluded that his decision would still be rooted in his own personal beliefs and policy preferences. Similarly, senior Jimmy Guan (12) shared that while he rather draw his vote with his own research, depending on who the celebrity is, he may take into consideration their opinion. And although both are ineligible to vote by November 5th, their mutual opinions on the impact of celebrity endorsements paints a conflicting viewpoint on celebrity power amidst this race.
By Staff Writer, Kalyssa Chu
PROP 32
How It Affects Student Workers
Student workers may soon be receiving a pay raise: California’s 2024 ballot contains a direct vote on Proposition 32, which proposes raising the state minimum wage to $18 per hour starting in January 2025. If passed, this proposition will immediately go into effect, raising the statewide minimum wage to $17 per hour for the remainder of 2024 and increasing it to $18 per hour by 2025— making it the highest state minimum wage in the United States.
In San Mateo County, the minimum wage lies around $17 per hour, which is above the state minimum wage of $16 per hour. Still, many student workers at Mills share positive opinions on passing this proposition to benefit the whole state.
Junior Sascha Pascual, who currently earns around minimum wage working at the San Bruno Recreation Center, simply stated, “I would support it, because people deserve money.”
sufficiently covers the financial demands in his life, he stated, “If it weren’t for my parents [and] it was just me as an adult paying for my own expenses, then I wouldn’t think it’s enough.”
However, others criticize passing this proposition, particularly for its possible negative effects on small businesses.
Similarly, student and Mills cafeteria worker Hunter Shu (11) expressed, “I would support this minimum wage raise because I’m broke, and I need some money.”
Shu believes raising the minimum wage will help all types of workers in California, especially those battling the state’s infamously high living costs. While Shu noted that working minimum wage shifts at the cafeteria
Although Proposition 32 would allow small businesses with 25 or fewer employees to phase into the $18 wage by 2026, rather than 2025, small businesses may still struggle to afford higher wages. This may lead to a reduction in available parttime positions or working hours, especially for young or entrylevel workers.
In an ideal world, Shu said that he’d “want to maintain the same hours and still
get paid more.” Nonetheless, the overall consequences Proposition 32 would have on working hours and the overall work experience for student workers will remain partially unknown unless passed on the ballot.
For all 18 year old students looking to vote, remember to do your research before sending in your ballot for this upcoming election! Eligible 16 and 17 year olds can pre-register online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
E N T E R S P R E A D
Elections are closing in both at the national level, but also here in Millbrae with the city council elections. For the past few months candidates have been spreading their messages and posting up signs to gain support for their campaign. One of these many candidates is You You Xue, who is running for council member in District 3.
Xue was a previous student of Mills and graduated in 2014 at San Mateo high school. While at Mills Xue was very active in clubs, participating in Model UN, Interact, and even starting the Red Cross club. Currently, Xue is a restaurant owner in Millbrae with his Michelin star restaurant Wonderful.
Now, Xue is running for city council member in the city’s new election format. Millbrae changed its elections from “at large” elections, where anyone can vote for any candidate, to a “district” format in 2022. Millbrae is now split into 5 districts for which candidates must reside in to become council members. District 3, which Xue is running for, has the library and the city hall at its center.
Xue, with his connection of being a business owner, has plans to improve Millbrae downtown and reduce the cost of living for Millbrae residents. Also running for the District 3 council member position is Reuben D. Holober, who holds a similar desire to improve Millbrae’s
infrastructure. Holober has been elected twice now for council member in previous elections, having more experience than Xue. However, that shouldn’t count Xue out without considering other factors that are equally important. Ms. Dove, a government teacher in Mills, stated “I personally believe in representatives that put the community first and that are willing to think about what the needs of the community are.”
Xue shared that Millbrae needs vision instead of leadership, “If we re-elected my opponents, Millbrae would be fine.”
MEET YOU YOU XUE
By Copy Editor, Eduardo Galindo
The Importance Of Student VOTES
Elizabeth Paniagua Staff Writer
Now that we have entered fall, the presidential elections are coming up very soon, and we wanted to see what some students and staf here at Mills High School had to say about it.
When asked about the situation, bio/ biotechnology teacher Mr. Huang thinks students are too immature to vote yet.
Mr. Huang strongly believes that students should not be able to vote at 18 because they still act extremely immaturely, and he believes that social media plays a big part in this. He thinks that students will be more capable of voting in their frst or second year of college instead of their last year of high school. When I asked Mr. Huang if he thought they should change the age to vote, he said the legal age to vote,
in his opinion, should be at least 19 or 20 years old. He encourages students to learn about voting because in this country, voting is everywhere, and politics are everywhere so it is important for someone to be well educated on this topic as it will be with you for the rest of your life.
Maricela Ramos (12) believes that as long as a student is educated about what they’re voting for, they should have the right to vote and a right to have their own opinions on voting. Although, she says she herself isn’t into voting and will not be voting this year. Ramos thinks that the voting age,18 and up, is appropriate because they have a much better understanding than younger students and a better sense of what’s going on with the election. Ramos believes that it is important for students to be informed about
voting and their choices when it comes to voting.
Lastly, I interviewed Julie Martinez Mora (12). Julie believes that it is good to practice your voting rights even if you are a student. By 18 students should already have developed their preferences in politics so they should be able to vote for what they believe in. She believes that 18 is also a good age since that is also when you legally become an adult so it lines up pretty well. Earlier than that students can get very easily infuenced by others to vote for someone specifc.
In conclusion, the debate about students voting has many diferent perspectives on maturity and responsibility. But regardless of the idea that students aren’t ft to vote, some seniors still believe that they should be able to participate in elections.
As Halloween approaches, and many are in their last few years of high school, students wonder if they should enjoy their Halloween by trick-ortreating or if it is too late? Although Americans enjoy trick-or-treating, and it is a sample of what to expect in October, at what age should people stop going out and asking door to door for candy?
e tradition of trick or treating stems from a long time ago, dating back to the ancient, pre-Christian festival of Samhain. During this festival, people would dress up and leave plates of food outside their door for unwelcome spirits. is later transformed into something else called ‘souling,’ where people would go to wealthier families to receive a pastry called soul cake, in exchange for a prayer for the family’s passed relatives. e practice was passed down to children, who received gi s like food and money.
Looking at its history, trick or treating began as a practice for adults, which makes room for ideas on how that translates into a fun thing for kids. I think that as the world grew more modern, society developed the idea that something so primitive and simple was meant for children, still in their rst stages of development. I mean, asking others for food seems like something kids do since they cannot make the food themselves; therefore, they have to ask. Yet, as people grow older, they can provide for themselves, not needing to ask anymore.
Personally, I have not seen anyone past the age of a high schooler trick or treating. Past high school, many go to college, where they end up hosting halloween parties rather than walking the streets asking houses for candy, surrounded by kids. Olive Aguildard (11) voiced, “... If you’re an adult, like 20, and you don’t have kids, then around that time.. it’s kind of weird.” And so, most choose college parties over trick or treating; the sight of a college student asking for
By Biaca Pado, Entertainment Editor
candy becomes rare, setting a silent age limit of 18 years old. Another junior at Mills, Janna Ramirez (11), pointed out the use of stereotypes; “I feel like there shouldn’t be an age limit, yet socially, it becomes rare to see older people making it feel weird.” It could also include the perspective of dressing up in cute costumes, like witches and scary characters, taken on a new form along with the age—the intention of dressing up to be ‘scary’ changes to wanting to look good.
While asking around the campus, I found more reasons treat or tricking comes to a stop around high school. Amelia Naughten (11), a junior here at Mills, commented on her perspective. “It wasn’t about being too old, but it was about being busy, and it was usually on ursday, so it wasn’t a good idea to be out late and go to school the next day.” Honestly, this viewpoint was one I didn’t consider at rst,
but it does bring up a good point. e older one gets, the more responsibility, and the more things they have to do, resulting in a lack of time to walk around and get candy.
Although there is no age limit to treat or tricking, socially, there are ages that are deemed acceptable or not acceptable to go trick or treating. With the issue of safety as well, seeing older people going around kids doesn’t help the case of limiting this tradition to kids. Ultimately, my personal opinion, based on what I have seen and listened to, is that high school is the typical age to stop, whether it’s because of a homework load or maybe the social stigma around older people trick or treating. Of course, feel free to go still and ask for candy at whatever age you want; it's just that people will treat this as rare, maybe even weird, because it’s not common.
How Short-Form Media is Deteriorating Our Attention Spans
We live in a world where the average person checks their phone over 80 times a day. We have become immersed in a culture of constant media consumption, where, sadly, 30-second clips o en dictate the pattern of our attention spans. e current trend, Short-form media, can be described as digestible snippets of entertainment or information present on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and or YouTube. While this new form of entertainment is undeniably convenient, it has also become one of our greatest concerns due to its link with deteriorating attention spans and mental health.
e point of Short-form media is to condense information/ entertainment into sizable chunks, o en no longer than a minute, to keep individuals entertained and encourage rapid consumption. e style of these videos triggers the constant release of dopamine in the brain, keeping consumers hooked. With the algorithm adjusting to each person’s likes, it is easy to see why so many people become addicted. “I have noticed my attention span has become shorter ever since I started using TikTok. It gets distracting over time, the algorithm makes you want to stay longer as it’s showing you what you want to see so you don’t want to leave,” stated Emma Pham (12). Skyline Professor Vincent Favilla, supported “An algorithm always knows you better than you know yourself. It is extremely unnerving. Algorithms and companies behind it don’t care about you, they just want to make money.”
By Sar Meng, Staff Writer
Studies have shown that repeated exposure to this form of media can cause cognitive and behavioral e ects which are only magni ed in adolescents. When attention span is decreased, impulsivity can increase in the individual. High impulsivity, de ned as making impulsive actions without thinking of consequences, can be related to being unable to stop scrolling on apps. Skyline professor, Vincent Favilla touches more on his own experience “ I don’t know much about the new digital age but I will say it has a ected me. Subjectively it has a ected my attention, for instance when I am watching something on Net ix I still want to open another tab. I wasn’t like this when I was younger.”
Addiction to this form of media can also a ect learning engagement and possibly promote, or worsen, ADHD symptoms. Short-form content generally targets the “reward system” that our brain o en operates on. A good example is hitting entertainment you’re interested in every time you scroll, releasing that sense of pleasure we crave so deeply. is can be especially dangerous for ADHD patients as they are more vulnerable to addictive media content compared to their neurotypical peers.
While short-form media content is most certainly interesting and accessible, we still need to recognize the potential dangers it poses. As we navigate this new digital age, we need to be more mindful of what we as consumers are consuming and stop our mental health from being dragged in. is is sadly all we can do as there really aren’t any solutions present for this issue as it not only touches on psychological e ects but is also intertwined with societal and industrial issues.
Monthy Music
Hayden Bunce Staff Writer
Last Friday, four months after the drop of Brat, singer Charli XcX released the remix album. As a fan of many of the singers appearing on the remix, I was pretty excited to see what the remix album had to ofer.
My thoughts on the album are all over the place as there are songs I’ve been listening to frequently such as Everything is Romantic ft. Caroline Polacheck, songs that I’ll need to relisten to on my own time, including songs such as 365 featuring Robyn and Yung Lean. Unfortunately, on the other hand, it shames me to say there will be two songs I don’t see myself revisiting anytime soon, those being, I might say something stupid featuring the 1975 and Jon Hopkins. Also, I don’t believe I will fnd myself listening to Apple featuring the Japanese House as it truly didn’t wow me as the original one did.
Keep in mind that everyone is subject to their own opinion, as everyone has diferent music tastes and opinions. If you were a fan of BRAT, you should listen to this album, but if you are trying to get into Charli XcX, listen to the original Brat album, Crash, and Charli. I would give this remix album around a 7.5 out of 10.
By Elijah Caatic, Staff Writer
The school removed the paper towels around the end of last year from the primary student bathrooms around center court, and students aren’t happy. The school bathrooms don’t have the best reputation among students. It is clear that the school has the same problems that most schools have when it comes to bathrooms. They struggle to keep it clean enough for students to feel comfortable using them, and with this move, the school has only made the bathrooms worse than they were before.
I personally have had many poor experiences with the bathrooms. For example, two years ago I tried to use the bathrooms in center court only to fnd all of the toilets covered in a red liquid I later learned was Kool-Aid. The removal of paper towels from the bathrooms makes them much less efective at their purpose. According to a poll I conducted on a sample of Mills students, 69.2% of them said they preferred paper towels over hand dryers, which are currently the only way to dry your hands in the bathroom. This is only supported
by the fact that the remaining 30.8% of people didn’t prefer the hand dryers but rather didn’t have a preference either way. When asked for opinions, many Mills students wrote of concerns about germs being spread by the hand dryers and them now not being able to clean up any messes that may be made in the school
To be clear, hand dryers can be very efective hand-drying devices, just not the ones at Mills. The ASI Turbo-Dri installed in the Mills bathrooms is by no means the worst I have ever used and does have a HEPA flter, which, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, theoretically should remove about 99.97% of contaminants, including dust, bacteria, and mold, but they’re also not on the same level as the top-rated Dyson and Xlerator units which are popular in many large commercial establishments.
Those have much stronger air jets that dry your hands more efectively. It is clear from our data that students prefer paper towels over the hand dryers, so why were they removed?
To fgure out the reason for their removal I talked to the Dean of Students, Tim Christian. When I asked him why paper towels were removed from the bathrooms
A pie chart displaying students who prefer paper towles to had dyers, based on 39 responses.
Survey conducted by Elijah Caatic / The Mills Thunderbolt
This year, our school administration made the decision to cancel senior quotes in the yearbook, citing inappropriate quotes from previous years as the main reason. The class of 2023 included quotes from controversial fgures, leading to the decision this year. No seniors would be allowed to submit quotes at all. But is this the right approach? Many students believe this decision punishes the entire class for the mistakes of a few and that there are better ways to handle the issue without canceling the tradition.
Senior quotes have long been a way for students to leave a fnal, personal mark on their time at high school. “It’s always been something I looked forward to,” says Collin Kong, a current senior. “It’s a way to express yourself, to share something meaningful that represents who you are.”
Critics of the decision argue that canceling the quotes punishes students who would have used the space thoughtfully and appropriately. “I get that some people made bad choices last year, but it doesn’t seem fair to cancel it for everyone because of that,” says senior Caleb Lubiano. “Most of us probably would choose quotes that were inspirational or like refected our high school experience.”
"WAYS TO SHARE SOMETHING meaningful
The administration, however, has expressed concerns about how to regulate senior quotes to ensure that inappropriate or controversial content does not slip through. In a statement, they emphasized that the decision was made in order to prevent a repeat of last year’s problems and to maintain the integrity of the yearbook as a refection of the school’s values.
However, students are suggesting that there are ways to prevent these issues without removing the tradition altogether. “...they could have stricter guidelines or have the quotes approved by staf before it’s published,” suggests Ethan Lee, another senior. “There are defnitely ways to keep things clean, without taking it away completely.”
By Noah Ung, Staff Writer
Should an entire class be held responsible for the actions of a previous one? Many students feel that they should be given the opportunity to prove that they can uphold the tradition in a respectful and meaningful way.
As senior year marks the culmination of our high school experience, traditions like senior quotes ofer a personal way to refect on our time here. While the administration’s concerns are valid, many students believe that eliminating the tradition is too extreme a measure. With proper guidelines and review, it seems possible to bring back senior quotes in a way that ensures they refect the positive values of our school community.
At its core, this issue isn’t just about quotes— it’s about trust. By working together, students and the administration could fnd a solution that preserves the tradition while addressing concerns, allowing the class of 2025 to leave their mark while maintaining the image of our school.
VARSITÝ FLAG FOOTBALL DOMINATES
Our very own Varsity Flag Football team has been dominating the league, creating fun and interesting games to watch. From the competition to the amazing wins, the 2024 Varsity Flag Football team goes 7 for 1 this season.
Let’s talk to two of the team captains of the fag football team, receiver Kalyssa Chu and quarterback Luna MengelYoshimura. “This season has been really fun just getting to know our team and there’s a lot of new players on JV so it’s been really fun to practice and play with them,” Chu told us. “The competition has also been really good, so we’ve been challenging ourselves in a lot of our games.” Mengel-Yoshimura commented saying, “My time on the team has been amazing. I love coming out everyday and especially playing games. The team dynamic is super good and we’re all friends so it helps but overall just a super fun sport.”
When asked why they enjoy being team captains, Chu told us, “Almost everyone going into the sport has never played it before, so just getting to guide my teammates in this new sport in a new environment is really fulflling.” Mengel-Yoshimura told us, “I enjoy being a leader for the team and hopefully people look up to me just because I am a captain it doesn’t mean I do everything. Everybody plays a super important role on the team
By: Madyson Tag,
and I just love to see it.”
A favorite game both team overtime game against Aragon. death, Luna Mengal-Yoshimura to the other end of the feld and ending the game all together with
Next let’s bring it over to Football coach. Asking him about “We have a good team so I think championship. They have improved the plays and they have gotten a unit.”
Following along with that plays rusher, running back, and a receiver on the varsity fag football of by saying, “It’s been really great group of girls. I joined a little late for my team.” Lucy said, “My much fun and a new experience so many new people and become most importantly I can’t wait season with my team.”
When asked about how it
GIRLS VARSITÝ FLAG FOOTBALL DOMINATES
Tag, Staff Writer
team captains enjoyed was the tied Aragon. The game being in sudden Mengal-Yoshimura got the interception, ran it and threw it back to Kalyssa Chu with the fnal score of 15-13. to Coach Anderson, the Flag about his team, he mentioned, think they are motivated to win the improved by getting better with gotten better at working together as lets talk to Reece Roach, who and receiver, and Lucy Esquivel football team. Reece started us great returning to such a great late this year but I’m so grateful time on the team has been so experience for me. I have gotten to meet become really close with them. But wait to fnish out the rest of the feels to have your fag football
team dominating your league Roach started us of by saying, “As a tri-sport athlete I’ve never played with a team this talented and with this much press! Last year I was the cover of the newspaper and that was surreal. We got called “unstoppable” [in the newspapers] which was wild but I’m really glad girls’ sports are getting the recognition they deserve.” Esquivel commented on the same question saying, “Flag football is a relatively new sport and to have Mills be a leader is an amazing experience. I am proud that our team shows Mills and represents the talent of our female athletes in the program.”
Lastly, when asked how they have been playing this season, Reece Roach said, “I think we’ve been playing really well. We are starting to fgure out what plays work for us and adding more into our playbook.” Lucy Esquivel said, “Throughout the season we’ve played so well and bonded as a team no matter if games end in a win or loss. Every player has developed new skills, grown as fag football players and most importantly we have all grown as a team.”
In summary of it all, the Varsity Girls Flag Football tem has a great season showing their sportsmanship and teamwork as a whole. With the season coming to an end, they have shown how girls sports deserves recognition and hope for more victories next season.
From October 15th to October 25th, Mills Spirit Planning Committee organized their frst Fall Volleyball Tournament of the year to encourage school spirit and promote fun activities for students. The Fall Volleyball Tournament took place on the outside volleyball courts during lunch for the week.
There were 11 teams consisting of 10 players on each team. Each team was only allowed 50% Varsity volleyball players and a maximum of three Varsity players could play at the same time. The teams that played in the tournament are the Ninja Turtles, Pookie Bears, The Bats, Dream Team, Bumpkin Boskis, SoCal Asians, the Elite, Talokans, Lost Battalions, Alpha Sigma Bowls, and Karasuno HS. The Bats, Karasuno HS, and Alpha Sigma Bowls have byes and did not play anyone in the frst round.
Each team was placed into a bracket with single elimination where the team that has the most points by the end of lunch wins. The winners of each bracket played each other in the next round until there were two fnal teams remaining. The winner of that would be then crowned champion. Unfortunately, there will not be a reward for the winner since this tournament is just for fun.
The tournament follows standard volleyball rules. Mills Spirit Planning Committee member, Lucas Hom (10) said, “It’s normal volleyball rules. So rotations, but we’re not too crazy on like the actual rotation part, we just care if the server rotates.”
So something fun to look forward to, I think it’s a big thing.” said Ms. Dove, student body advisor and activities director.
Mills Spirit Committee Member, Evan Kang (10) mentioned, “Lots of people like volleyball in our school. This tournament is there for people to have fun.”
Kylie Huynh (11) of Spirit Committee added, “Just to connect students and also they can meet new people that way, too…it just creates a really positive community.”
The Mills Spirit Committee has done a lot in terms of preparation before the tournament and getting the games together. “They created the Google Form for sign ups. They organize the brackets, based of of the responses and they’re out every day refng the games. Also setting up, so they bring out all the materials. We also go and make sure that we clean up after ourselves because this is also used by the PE department.” said Ms. Dove
The way that this volleyball tournament was organized was by frst creating a Google Form asking students to state their team name and who is going to be on their team. Then, they looked at the students’ Google Form responses to create the bracket. Next, they communicated with their advisor, Ms. Dove, and the administration to set up the dates and times. They also talked with Athletic Director Mr. Keller to use the outdoor volleyball courts, and Leadership to spread it around through Instagram and KVIK announcements.
The purpose of the tournament was for students to have fun, have something to do during lunch, something to look forward to, bring people together, connect students to meet new people, promote school spirit, and something for the students to do in the fall according to the Spirit Committee.
“This was an activity that we started a couple years ago. We saw how popular our Spring Basketball tournament was…Just to give students something fun to look forward to, and bring people together. October tends to be kind of a long month. We got a lot of student stress, our seniors are applying to colleges, everyone else is just tired.
Although it may seem like an easy task to set up a tournament and create a bracket, they encountered a problem. There were an odd number of teams. There were 11 teams instead of an even number. The Mills Spirit Committee tackled the issue by giving “some teams had byes and we basically just put it randomly,” said Kang (10) “But it ended up working out,” said Maranda Santos (12), Mills Spirit Committee Leader.
This tournament was a huge success, lots of students showed up, and were playing in the tournament. All the students had fun and it was a good time for everybody.
I briefy caught up with Messiah Lacsamana (9) who played on Team Dream Team after the game and asked him about his thoughts on the tournament. “I felt like it was a little unfair and the refs were terrible…but the game was fun. ” expressed Messiah Lacsamana (9) in frustration following a brutal 20-16 loss after leading the frst 10 minutes of the game. He also added that he would likely play in the tournament next year.
This is a yearly tournament and will most likely be continued next year. While this tournament is over, students can expect Mills Spirit the school school
“We try to do something once a month, so a spirit day and a lunch activity…We always have something for everyone.” said Santos.
In her frst season as a Mills athlete, JV volleyball player
Alanna Germain (9) has adjusted well to the high school sports environment. “This year has been my frst real season, and it’s been really fun,” Germain stated, “At frst, though, it was a little intimidating.”
As a freshman with limited experience, Germain admitted that it was initially overwhelming to join the JV team, which mainly consists of sophomores and juniors. However, she said it’s ultimately “been a really good experience” getting to learn in high school conditions and connect with upperclassmen who’ve played for Mills before.
Many freshmen entering the upcoming winter sports season will share feelings similar of fear toward high school sports, but Germain still encourages them to “go for it.” To her fellow freshmen, she stresses, “There’s no harm in trying…at the end of the day, it’s really not a big deal. It’s just a sport!”
Kalyssa Chu Staff Writer
The Mills’ Varsity Girls Cross Country (XC) team has been doing really well this season. Their team consists of Miya Cheng, Katie Yee, Chloe Amayun, Alexa Dunn, Kaelyn Chan, and Janelle Pantilon. These girls have been racing and competing their hardest this year, winning meets and medals. So what led up to this point, and how have they been doing it?
Cross country is so much more than a game of mindless running, which is a common stereotype many have when asked about the sport. It requires endurance, consistency, strength, speed, strategy, and most importantly, a strong mindset. Janelle Pantilon (11), Varsity Girls Cross Country member explains the strategy factors in cross country competitions, saying, “...you [defnitely] want to make sure that you have a plan, because sometimes if you go into [the race] unprepared, it can be very hard.”
Along with strategies, the mental game is a crucial thing the girls have to take into account when competing. Pantilon stated, “I think one of the biggest things is the mental part for cross country. I’ve experienced mental blocks throughout this season that I’ve had to overcome.” Miya Cheng (12), their captain, emphasized and agreed with this statement. She explained how she avoids thinking negatively during races and tries to keep an open mind when running and competing. She said, “...when I think about the pain, I feel really bad for myself, [and] I feel worse
running. I think running with a clear mind is really important when you have these kinds of painful races.”
Chloe Amayun (11) has a very similar mindset. She shared how she tells herself, “You’ve done this before, many times, and it’ll be over soon.”
Of course, with mental games comes inevitable stress. Cheng shares her experiences with pregame stress and how she copes with it. She reminds herself that she’s not alone. She explained, “...the girls varsity cross country team is really strong, so I feel like I don’t have to [carry] all the responsibility, because I know that my other teammates will do really well.”
While XC is half done individually, the way to win in the sport is through combined scores throughout your team, meaning the girls are in it together. Janelle explained how one of the things that sets the girls up for victory is teamwork and inclusivity. “I would defnitely say just uplifting each other [helps us win],” she explained, “Even though cross country, you know, is individual, it’s also a team thing. And I think one of the biggest, one of the greatest things, is just having your teammates there to support you…regardless of your level.” Miya brought this up too, saying, “[We have] a strong bond… we’re like a family. We’re really supportive in that sense, and we don’t really have beef with one another, we don’t have a lot of drama going on, because we all cheer for each other, because we all know that pain that everybody has to go through. I think that’s really, really nice.”
Speaking of victories, the Varsity Girls XC team has been doing well this season and have been placing high in rankings, even winning medals. Many of their runners have been placing in top ten during competitions, one being an invitational hosted by Hillsdale. Janelle shared another victory, saying, “...at one of our [other] meets, we got second place, and we only lost to the other team by two points. We were really close, and that was defnitely a big achievement for us.”
Recently, on October 17th, the girls placed frst in a PAL meet, with many runners placing at the tops of the rankings, with the girls joined by Alyssa Mai (10) as their seventh runner. Chloe shared info on this, saying, “For the girls, it’s the frst time we ever won a PAL meet. We beat our competitor, Carlmont.” These wins weren’t just handed to them. The cross country team achieved this through hard work, determination, dedication, and resilience preparing for this race. days a week, around two hours a day after school. During these practices, they run laps around the track and go on runs outside of school as a group. This is to prepare them for competitions, where the distance and obstacles vary based on where it’s taking place. Along with this, their coach, Coach Cappel, has the girls do a pre game warmup, saying, “my belief is you really do have to really expend a lot of energy and a lot of efort warming up and getting
Meaga So Staff Writer
onny Angels
the trinket takeover!
By Hayden Bunce, Staff Writer
Popular collectibles, Sonny Angels and Smiski’s, are taking over the bank accounts of young teens as their popularity skyrockets. For those who don’t know, Sonny Angels is a line of cherub figurines created by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya, aiming to be a companion for a woman struggling in adulthood. Toru Soeya created Sonny Angels based on a 100-yearold cartoon character Kewpie, a drawing commonly found on Japanese mayo packaging.
With their increase in popularity, there must be a reason why they have become the newest trend. Well with a trinket as adorable as Sonny Angels and Simikis are that seems to be a major reason so many people are hyper-fixated with collectibles. The variety of each Sonny Angel seems to contribute to its popularity; Madison Wong (11) states, “They have like costumes and hats on - like for the series you to get.”
When not sold out, the variety of Sonny Angels on the shelves leads people to purchase more. However, the ability to collect multiple series and the blind box aspect of collecting Sonny Angels leads to what can turn into an expensive game of chance. Unfortunately, the mystery aspect can lead to overconsumption despite their adorableness in hopes of getting the angel you’d want.
The popularity of Sonny Angels causes people to sell the Sonny Angels for obscene and unreasonable prices. As cute as the figurines are, spending that much on an item feels a bit absurd, especially with the gradually fast
rise. As Sedona Rose (10) pointed out, “Like collecting things, just without a real purpose.”
Considering the prevalent rise and how much people love to over-consume the Sonny Angels I decided to see what everyone was so obsessed about. Unfortunately, we did not find any that day but my parents found three Sonny Angels in Chinatown in San Francisco. When I saw them I was pretty excited to see them after the
entertainment
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struggle my mom and I had gone through so I was decently amped up to see what I was going to get. For my first Sonny Angel ever, I got an adorable blue mouse from Animal series 2 which I adore. My second sonny angel was from the Birthday series and I got the birthday cake which is cute but personally not as cute as the mouse. Then for my final Sonny Angel, I got a ram animal hippers which will be accompanying me anytime my phone and I go on a journey.
After my unboxing, I understand why everyone loves to collect hundreds of these trinkets. Although depending on where you purchase them, collecting Sonny Angels in my opinion really isn’t
“Like collecting things, just without a real purpose.”
price-friendly considering my parents paid 14 dollars for a blind box. With the overall adorableness of Sonny Angels, it’s easy to see why so many people are obsessed with them, and continuing to buy more of these trinkets.
The Wild Robot
By Warren Shiu, Staff Writer
*Spoilers for the film ahead*
On September 27th of this year, DreamWorks Animation released The Wild Robot, a film based on the bestselling novel by Peter Brown. Since its theatrical debut, the movie has grossed over $200 million worldwide and holds an impressive 98% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Featuring Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, the titular character, and Pedro Pascal as her companion Fink the Fox, the voice acting truly brings the characters to life.
In this latest offering from director
Chris Sanders, known for Mulan (1998) and How to Train Your (2010), emotions and stakes reach an all-time high. Roz the robot awakens alone on an island after a terrible storm throws her and her family of robots off course. Surrounded nature and wildlife, she is initially deemed a “monster” by the island’s inhabitants, yet she learns to adapt and survive. Aiding her in this journey is Fink, a clever fox who teaches her the ways of the island. Together, they face various challenges, with Fink helping Roz navigate the intricate relationships among the island’s creatures.
As Roz embarks on her new role, she displays immense compassion, especially after adopting a runt gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor). Caring for him becomes her primary focus, as she teaches him to eat, swim, and fly before migration season, by when he must leave the island to survive. By the end of the film, Roz’s relationship with Brightbill is not only heartwarming but also showcases her growth in caring for all the animals on
the island. Her transformation from a non-feeling machine to a nurturing mother is beautifully depicted, illustrating the depth of her character development throughout the story.
Watching The Wild Robot deeply moved me, bringing me to the verge of tears several times. It was incredibly touching to see a robot embrace motherhood and genuinely care for her adopted son, helping him grow. As an adopted child, I found Brightbill’s journey with Roz particularly resonant, reminding me that even though my birth parents may be out there, I feel no need to search for them—my family now is all I need. This emotional connection enriched my viewing experience, making the transformation of Roz and Brightbill’s relationship all the more impactful. The voice acting was outstanding; Lupita Nyong’o brilliantly captures Roz’s evolution from a robotic being to a nurturing figure filled with
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maternal instincts. Meanwhile, Pascal as Fink adds great depth, perfectly complementing the story and enhancing its emotional core.
The film’s animation is stellar, creating the sensation of watching a painting come to life and fully immersing me in the vibrant world of the island. I appreciated the unique touches in the adaptation, such as Roz giving Brightbill his name instead of a side character, which was a refreshing departure from the book. Additionally, Fink’s expanded role enriched the narrative, introducing more dynamics that kept the story engaging rather than solely focusing on Roz and Brightbill’s relationship. Overall, the film adapted the story well, capturing all major plot points. While some details were omitted, they didn’t detract from the overall experience.
The Wild Robot continues the legacy of strong DreamWorks films like KungFu Panda, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Shrek. Much like these beloved movies, it blends humor with heartfelt storytelling, capturing the essence of what makes DreamWorks Animation special. The film showcases the studio’s knack for crafting characters and narratives that resonate with audiences of all ages. Social media reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the film’s emotional depth and musical score. In this way, The Wild Robot preserves DreamWorks’ legacy while adding a fresh chapter to its collection of animated gems.
As The Wild Robot heads into awards
season, it’s generating buzz for potential nominations, particularly for Best Animated Feature. The film’s stunning visuals also make it a strong contender for Best Visual Effects. If it can maintain its momentum, The Wild Robot significant impact during the Oscars this year. With a sequel already in the works and the film currently available for streaming, I wholeheartedly recommend watching it. It’s a heartwarming experience that captures the magic of storytelling, making it perfect for audiences of all ages.
