Volume 61 Issue 9 || May 2021 ||
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Create.
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www.millsthunderbolt.com
Former Mills Teacher Sues SMUHSD Justin Condevillamar News Editor
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n March 10th, 2021, Patricia Petersen, an English teacher at Mills High School who is on personal leave for the 2020-2021 school year, filed a lawsuit in the San Mateo County Superior Court against the San Mateo County Unified High School District (SMUHSD). According to The San Mateo Daily Journal, she has also taken her claims to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which has the authority to suspend or revoke an educator’s license. According to court documents, a letter of reprimand was issued over a suggested unsatisfactory performance which she appealed. The lawsuit details a series of accusations against the district that includes administrative misconduct, hostile treatment, and grade inflation. Within the body of the lawsuit, Petersen has made accusations about incidents going back to 2017. The most notable incident happened in March 2020, where Petersen met with a student in San Bruno Park to administer a test with a student due to the shutdown of the school campus by the COVID-19 pandemic. She accuses the student of cheating on that test and being aggressive towards Petersen when asked to meet again at a later date. The administra-
San Mateo Unified High School District
LAWSUIT: Kirk Black (Left) and Kevin Skelly (Right) will face hearings before the state’s Commision on Teacher Credentialing.
tion allegedly failed to provide her support, and allegedly told her to “move on” according to the lawsuit. On May 26th, 2020, the District issued Petersen a letter of reprimand, which threatened dismissal from her employment with SMUHSD. The letter cites the San Bruno Park incident and Petersen’s failure to create supportive and positive relationships with students as reasons for reprimand. Petersen claims that
the letter is filled with “distortions and falsehoods” and is suing to have the letter rescinded and expunged. Petersen also alleges that during Pamela Duszynski’s time as principal, the administration exerted pressure on other teachers to pass students regardless of whether their work and attendance merited passing grades. This includes supposed administrative pressure on teachers to give students a 50% grade
on incomplete work instead of 0%. According to legal documentation, Petersen accuses the District of multiple labor and educational code violations which include the Whistleblower Retaliation (Labor Code 1102.5(b)), Retaliation for Refusal to Participate in Unlawful Activity (Labor Code 1102.5(c)), Retaliation for Reporting Improper Activities (Education Code 44113), and Retaliation for Complaints about Work-
A Thunderbolt Team Thank You Letter O n behalf of The Thunderbolt team, we would like to use this space to thank everyone who made publishing our issues possible this year. First and foremost, thank you to Principal Dusyznski for your commitment to The Thunderbolt’s goal: proudly serving the Mills community.
Thank you for assisting us with publishing our digital newspaper every month this school year and distributing it to the Mills community. Much thanks to the Mills Planning Committee for your grant support and for whom this issue could not have been printed without your help! A huge thank you to Ms. Landa, Mr. Steinbrecher, Folger Graphics, Vice Principal Schlax, and Ms. Seto for making the mailing of this last issue possible and helping with the logistics of it all. And a thank you to our advisor, Mr. Hensley, for supporting the editor team and staff writers during this unusual year and through some challenging circumstances. Thank you as well to all of the past Thunderbolt editors, now Mills alumni, who demonstrated and taught our current editor team the skills, techniques, and traditions needed to produce this year’s issues. Thank you also to anyone who was ever interviewed, gave input, or wrote a guest article for The Thunderbolt this year. Our articles and content creation would not have been possible without your participation in our shared efforts to spread news to our community. Thank you so much to all of our readers; we are forever grateful for your trust in our team and we will continue on with our efforts for many more years to come. Anjuli Niyogi The Thunderbolt Editor-In-Chief
place Safety (Labor Code 6310). On top of having the letter of reprimand rescinded, Petersen is also suing for damages and lost wages as a result of the letter of reprimand. Superintendent Kevin Skelly, Human Resources Personnel Kirk Black, and Mills Principal Duszynski will also be facing hearings by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to contest a possible suspension of their California teaching credentials. According to the Daily Journal, the recommendation for Duszynski is 120 days, Skelly’s is 30 days, and Black’s is 14 days. As referenced in the California Administrative Procedures Act, a hearing “provides substantial due-process protections before a credential can be subject to discipline or an application for a credential or certificate can be denied” (Rothschild Wishek & Sand LLP).” Ultimately, Principal Duszynski and the SMUHSD will be given the opportunity to lay out their side of this lawsuit in their upcoming trial. The district has not yet publicly responded to the claims brought forth by Petersen. Skelly, Black, and Duszynski will also soon face hearings by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to decide whether a credential suspension recommendation will be denied or accepted. The effects of these possible suspensions on the Mills and SMUHSD community are yet to be determined.
Center Spread Senior Map Every year, The Thunderbolt creates a college map. From Syracuse to Skyline, take a look at where this year’s graduating class are headed off to. (pg. 6-7)
Opinions
The Truth About Beauty Standards Especially with social media and the nearly unachievable beauty standards set by society, it’s easy for teens to compare themselves to others and measure their self worth with what their body looks like. This article serves as a reminder that all bodies are beautiful and to love yourself to the fullest. (pg. 10)
Features
East Asian Representation in Media
Senior Leanna Yu reflects on the importance Asian representation has had throughout her life. As a child, Yu grew up seeing East Asian females on TV shows, but never saw them as the lead character. Now that she is older, Yu sees some TV shows/movies idealizing Asians, but appreciates the improvement of representation in select media. (pg. 8)
Sports
AAPI Representation in Sports
Amidst May’s AAPI heritage month, this article celebrates the lesser-known Asian and Asian-American players in major sports, . From Jeremey Lin to figure skater Tiffany Chin to Wataru Misaka, this month is a time recognize the impact these players had on Asian representation in sports. (pg. 12)
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News
May 26th, 2021
The Thunderbolt
AAPI Month: ARC Community Projects Katelyn Chang Staff Writer
Mills High School Publication www.millsthunderbolt.com
Editors-in-Chief: Anjuli Niyogi ‘21 Leanna Yu ‘21 Karine Chan ‘21 Faculty Advisor: Kelly Hensley News Editor: Justin Condevillamar ‘21 Features Editor: Angela Dimaano ‘21 Center Spread Editor: Bianca Reyes ‘21 Center Spread Layout: Leanna Yu ‘21 Opinions Editor: Madison Wong ‘21 Sports Editor: Misael Gomez ‘21 Sports Layout: Anjuli Niyogi ‘21 Media Coordinators: Leanna Yu ‘21 Karine Chan ‘21 Staff Writers: Raquel 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
The Thunderbolt
W
ith the arrival of spring, also comes the beginning of AAPI Heritage Month. Recognized during the month of May, it’s a time to recognize and acknowledge all of the accomplishments and contributions of the Asian American Pacific Islander community. For a community and school with a large AAPI population, it’s more important than ever that we come together in solidarity to support each other. Within the Millbrae community, the Millbrae’s Anti Racist Coalition (ARC) has many community events lined up throughout the month of May:
Co-sponsored banner with the City of Millbrae:
The ARC is featuring a banner outside of Millbrae’s city hall that is co sponsored by the city itself. Titled, “Community, Solidarity, Celebration”, it represents and honors Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander communities, which span over 50 ethnic groups and 100 languages. ARC Social Media Campaign This upcoming Social Media campaign plans to feature and support several local AAPI owned small businesses on the ARC’s various social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Nextdoor, and on their website). With the campaign having started on May 6th with florist business Ah Sam Floral Company, more features will include Asian Uplift’s favorite local cafes and take-out options, spotlight markets that specialize in AAPI foods, and cover a San Mateo project for educational resources for all ages about AAPI ethnic groups.
AAPI Month “InspirAsians” Interviews:
Created by the Millbrae ARC, Millbrae MCTV, and nonprofit Asian Uplift, this project hopes to spotlight diverse and impactful in-
dividuals of the AAPI community. This series of video conversations celebrates AAPI Heritage Month. With a hope for guest speakers to tell their unique stories and to amplify their voices across social media platforms, virtual 10 minute interviews with them will be held live and broadcasted on MCTV’s Facebook live. Following the livecast, video interviews will also be broadcast on their various social media platforms.
Book GroupLecture and Discussion:
Taking place on Wednesday May 12, at 7:30pm, special guest Dawn Lee (Equity & Inclusion strategist, and Educator) will be leading a guided conversation about “The Making of Asian America: A History”, written by Erika Lee. Open to anyone interested, this discussion will focus mainly on Parts 1 & 2 from early migration up to World War II. More information about joining as well as loaning a copy of the book on the ARC Instagram. The following June Book Group selection taking place on June 23, will also be “The Leavers”, written by Lisa Ko as AAPI Awareness doesn’t just end after May!
Spotlight on Tanforan Detention Center (Internment camp):
Given Tanforan Detention Center’s history as an internment camp during World War II, the ARC will be highlighting more education on it’s past. This will include raising more awareness through the current photography exhibit at the San Bruno BART, on their social media channels, and amplifying ongoing fundraising for a future Tanforan memorial to be built adjacent to the same BART station.
Book Donations to “Little Libraries”:
The Millbrae ARC will be donating books written by AAPI authors about elements of the AAPI experience to the city’s local “little libraries”. Little libraries aim to promote the exchange of books in neighborhoods
Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt
LITTLE LIBRARY: The ARC is donating AAPI books.
through the usage of a public bookcase. With them, users will be able to either take a book to read, or share a book for the rest of the community. These projects all aim to celebrate Asian culture and heritage not just for the month of May, but for the future as well. And to reaffirm the true value of them, Millbrae ARC’s Amy Lauer speaks out saying, “The ARC’s principles include raising antiracist awareness and understanding. Throughout May, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we hope to help raise awareness of the diversity within the AAPI community. We believe that sharing and discussing the history of the Asian American Pacific Islander experience is foundational to understanding and fixing past wrongs. Over the past year, businesses have suffered - by drawing attention to local AAPI owned shops, restaurants and services, we hope to spark new customers and help reinvigorate our local economy. Millbrae stands strong against violence. We are all painfully aware of the rise in racist hate crimes against Asian Americans, particularly, those perceived as most vulnerable: the elders. Our intent with these projects and our work is to cultivate more anti racist allies who can and will step up and intervene.” Mills senior Lilian Chang (12), who has been heavily involved with the ARC and their ongoing projects, adds on starting, “It’s always important to recognize and celebrate the history of diverse groups in America. Given the current hate crimes against Asian Americans, it is even more important to give AAPI community members a platform to tell their stories. I’m very proud of the grassroots community efforts in Millbrae to promote equity and unity.” For more information on all of these activities, check out the Millbrae ARC’s socials here: Instagram: @millbraearc Website: www.millbraearc.com
Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt
INTERVIEWS: Millbrae ARC will interview Asians.
BANNER:
Shows
Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt
AAPI
Splidarity.
Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt
LIBRARY: Asian themed children’s books.
Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt
INSTAGRAM: Spotlights Asian Buisness.
Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt
SPOTLIGHT: An exibit that tells the history of Tanforan.
SMUHSD Passes Climate Emergency Declaration Rita Li Staff Writer
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he progression and acceleration of climate change has resulted in widespread attention from SMUHSD students, who spent months perfecting a Climate Emergency Declaration. The SMUHSD Board of Trustees approved the resolution unanimously after it was presented by the students on April 1. The main objective of the declaration is to prioritize sustainability by encouraging all students to take action in their communities. The plan to achieve this involves coordinating climate emergency declarations in school districts across the country. Problems addressed by the declaration cover waste, consumption, transportation, marine ecosystems, green buildings, food, energy, air quality, and environmental literacy.
In the 20-21-22 SMUHSD resolution, it called upon School District Boards to adopt their strongest efforts to minimize greenhouse emissions. The San Mateo school districts are located between the Santa Cruz mountain range and the San Francisco Bay estuarine shoreline, one of the most ecologically sensitive locations in California that is vulnerable to floods, droughts, biodiversity loss, and heat waves induced by climate change. San Mateo County facilitated the Regional Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite (RICAPS) program which unites the County and its twenty cities to reduce greenhouse emissions, preparing San Mateo County for climate change. This effort is essential because solving climate change requires safety awareness, mass organization and collective action. Recently, SMUHSD formed a sustainability subcommittee that meets monthly to discuss plans and
pass them. The SMUHSD’s sustainability policy sets responsibilities for all staff and students in the district to significantly reduce carbon emissions by consuming less water, energy, and gas. There are commitments to recycling, sustainable disposal of hazardous waste generated by the campus, and encouragement of better transportation methods. Promoting sustainable practices within the staff, parents, and community is also very important according to the policy. The SMUHSD Board decided to create a climate action plan tackling green buildings, transportation, and clean energy. According to a statement on the SMUHSD Facebook page, “This creates a myriad of opportunities to drive sustainable change and keep SMUHSD accountable for its actions. Our District will serve as an example for others across the county and state!”
@mhs_eat, Instagram
APPROVED: Instagram post taken from @mhs_eat (MHS Environmental Action Team).
3 Mills Teacher Saves Life in Ocean Beach News
The Thunderbolt
Karine Chan Editor-in-Chief
K
nown as the deadliest beach in the Bay Area, Ocean Beach’s strong currents and tingly cold water have claimed the lives of far too many, hitting a record of seven people in 1998. Unlike many other beaches, it does not have geographical features that serve as protection against massive, multi-directional swells. The battering creates holes in the sand, within them, treacherous rip currents form and create “danger areas”—which are unfortunately always changing. Before getting in the water, it is important to note that there is never a moment where the water’s currents settle down. Even when waves are smaller and seem more inviting, the rip currents are always present.
On May 28th, 2021, Mills teacher Mr. Burdette had a thrilling experience with Ocean Beaches’ aggressive waves. Standing on the Great Highway at Pacheco overlooking the ocean, Mr. Burdette found his eyes peeled on two surfers in the water, one of which was abruptly hit sideways by a wave. Following the crash, a surfer was separated from his board. The surfer’s friend did not notice and continued paddling away from him. The surfer who was thrown by the waves was not moving any closer to his board which instilled some worry in Mr. Burdette. Being an experienced surfer himself, Mr. Burdette is quite familiar with the dangers of surfing, particularly in Ocean Beach, saying, “The rip is really strong and the ocean was swirling because of it. It is not a place for beginning surfers. It is not a place to swim. So I thought
there might be trouble brewing.” Upon getting down to the beach where he had seen the two surfers, Mr. Burdette attempted to get any sign or life from the surfer, but he was unresponsive. After a quick scan of anyone else around that could have possibly helped, Mr. Burdette quickly realized that if this man had any chance of living, he had to act quickly. Knowing how dangerous these waters are, it was a tough decision of whether or not to get in and attempt to save the surfer. Mr. Burdette, fearful of not being able to return home to his six children, made the heroic decision to get into the water to rescue the surfer. He hoped the water would be shallow enough for him to keep a bit of footing, and thankfully it was. In neck-deep with just barely the tip of his toes in the sand, Mr. Burdette was able to pull him in, despite the waves acting against him. Thank-
May 26th, 2021
“The rip is really strong and the ocean was swirling because of it. It is not a place for beginning surfers. It is not a place to swim.” - Donald Burdette fully, surf patrol arrived soon after they made it back to shore. It was a lucky day for all; lucky for the surfer that he was there and knew how to handle the situation and lucky for Mr. Burdette as it was quite possible that he himself could have died. In preparation to avoid the fatal, ever-present forces, there are an abundance of precautions you can take. Only getting knee-deep in the water and staying mindful of your sur-
roundings as well as people around you can make all the difference between life and death. There are many other beaches that are safer in the Bay Area for you to dip your toes in or go for a surf such as China, Baker, or Stinson Beach. While getting taken by the current is not fully inevitable at whichever beach you choose, make sure to stay safe and always take the extra precautions to make sure you will be able to go home that night.
Jcross89, Wikimedia Commons
OCEAN BEACH: Ocean Beach is notorious for its harsh waves and rip currents which makes this place not ideal for beach swimmers and surfers. There have been multiple reported incidents of people drowning here.
New Express Service at Millbrae Library Katelyn Lam Staff Writer
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ith Covid spreading throughout the world, many businesses and public places have had to shut down, the libraries in San Mateo County included. Still, they were able to find alternative ways to make sure people still had access to all the resources the library had to offer. Express Service and Curbside Pick Up were one of the many solutions that they found to keep the community connected with the library and their resources. On March 16, 2020, the library had to shut down after the lockdowns had begun in the county. The workers have had to adapt to the new situation on hand by interacting online instead of in person; Many procedures have had to be adjusted but the material had to remain the same. “Our wonderful storytimes, tech help, author events, and other programs have gone digital while our physical resources remained available through Curbside and Walkup services.” Library Manager Elise Staples stated. On June 6, Curbside Pick Up was approved for distanced book pickups and printing services. It also allowed people to be able to put books and other things the library has to offer like DVDs on hold and pick it up once it arrives. Transitioning most of the library’s resources online allowed them to preserve public health and safety, which was a top priority during the pandemic. For those who want a contactless pick up it is available Monday through Wednesday from 10 to 5 pm. The Express Service was introduced on Thursday, April 22 after San Mateo County had moved into the orange tier. All libraries inside the county would now be open to people who want to spend some time browsing the books in person, access computers or for free wifi access. The Express Service allows people to go inside the library for limited periods
Katelyn Lam, The Thunderbolt
EXPRESS SERVICE: The Millbrae library is now open for Express Service on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Katelyn Lam, The Thunderbolt
CURBSIDE AND WALKUP SERVICE: During the pandemic, people were able to access some library resources outside.
of time whilst keeping to the strict guidelines of social distancing and masks. Sixty minutes is the recommended maximum amount of time someone should stay per day to keep physical contact to a minimum. Express Service will be available from 10-1 and 2-5 PM every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at most of the libraries. Staff will also be on hand to assist anyone with anything and answer any questions people may have on the Express Service or just the library in general. Although people are allowed to go inside, there are still rules in place to make sure everyone stays safe. “Safety is our greatest concern. We require everyone ages 2 and up to wear a mask at all times and practice social distancing.” Staples explained. Everything is highly regulated from the capacity and seating to cleaning to prevent the spread of germs. “From 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM we close for a high-touch cleaning break.” All the rules from before quarantine still apply and new ones like masks and staying 6 feet apart are enforced now as well. Being able to walk inside the library again is something many patrons will enjoy and is sure to have missed over the past year but safety should still be everyone’s first priority. The visitors aren’t the only ones happy with this new arrangement, the staff at the library are also happy that people are now able to come in and enjoy all the resources the library has to offer in person. As of now it has been over a year since it closed and with the recent opening of the library hopefully as the cases start going down the library will be able to offer more and more activities in person. For the time being events are still being held virtually, but overtime as the guidelines start relaxing a bit more those may be able to be held in person too. This just opens the doors to new possibilities in the future even when everything is back to normal.
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Senior Reflections
May 26th, 2021
Senior Reflections A look back on their four years at Mills
“All endings are also beginnings, we just don’t know it at the time.” - Mitch Albom
Jordan Hasty
“Push yourself, because no one is going to do it for you.” has been the ongoing mantra I looked up to throughout my high school career. As I woke up every morning, I despised the fact that what seemed like an ever-growing burnout had made meeting this standard all the more difficult. The only driving aspect that remained positive was the goal of graduating, proving that I can and I will, despite the culmination of forces attempting to set me back. The whole idea of being in high school was great, but the work that sat in my face was not. But — that’s high school, right? At Mills High School, I have had many incredible, strenuous, enjoyable, emotional, and unpredictable memories while being a student here. If it weren’t for the humorous and charismatic select instructors I have had, and the friends I have made along the way, the experience would have undoubtedly been far worse. Throughout my hectic high school years, I have grown to learn a lot, not just academically, but both personally and socially. Responsibility was the main learning process that was key to my high school experience. Laziness was not necessarily an option, which I had adapted to over the years.
Justin Condevillamar Coming into high school, I was at a personal crossroads in my life. My experience during middle school were primarily driven by the effects of some past trauma, and I felt that I didn’t really have an idea of who I truly was. Those questions would remain unanswered during my freshman year where I felt like I just existed --too scared to take risks and leave my comfort zone. This was worsened by another traumatic episode that would force me to leave school for nearly one year, however, this would spark a series of changes that completely altered my outlook, and help me grow into who I am today. The support of this community sparked my growth during my lowest period. This support came as a surprise to me, and allowed me to recognize and accept my personal identity. I grew as a person, and come back from being at rock bottom better than ever before. Even though the instability during my time at Mills continued, the people who supported me the most remained constant. My most enjoyable experiences didn’t come from the traditional high school events, rather the time spent and the things done, no matter how small, with the homies. Despite spending less than half of my high school in a physical classroom, I felt like I had more than 4 years of time there. Part of my personal growth and exploration led me to choose journalism as an elective, which at the time I saw as a way to help me improve in AP Lang. I ended up getting much more than that; I had a family of students who worked together to create something greater while showing absolute support to each other. A lot of my favorite work and some of my best moments came from this class and I learned many new things about myself in the process. However, I initially decided to not return to journalism to pursue other goals I had. At the last minute, the editors-in-chiefs reached out to me and asked me to return, seeing something in me that I didn’t fully see in myself. I decided to return as an editor, and that decision would become integral to my distance learning experience. Journalism helped me to remain connected and engaged with the Mills community despite being stuck at home. It ended up as one of the most fun classes during distance learning. I’d like to give special thanks to this year’s editor team for making this year in The Thunderbolt enjoyable despite everything we couldn’t do. Also a special shoutout to Sophia Baltazar, Brian He, and Keefer Yip for helping me out so much this year with journalism, you really contributed to making this newspaper special and all that effort will not go unnoticed XOXO.
The Thunderbolt
Angela Dimaano
I had always thought high school to be a period of time saturated with clichés and typicalities. A measly, hyped up four years, spent with people I was just getting to know and after graduating, would probably never see again. What makes the high school experience so integral to the life of almost every person? Is it the sparkling Friday Night Lights or the “life changing” school dance? After living through high school, I can safely say that the clichés of high school meant nothing to me. Now that isn’t supposed to be dramatic or some huge realization; Avoiding these clichés was my mission throughout high school. I couldn’t tell you what happened day to day during high school, it honestly doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. Days blended into each other and weeks turned into months within the blink of an eye. Although each day meant nothing alone, all together, these days become special. From all the flex times of not actually doing any school related work and playing Overcooked with my friends to heating up mozzarella sticks in center court with a toaster oven to my short interactions of just shouting my friend’s name in greeting, these seemingly insignificant instances come together to form a piece in the puzzle that is my life experience. Now I know I’ve been bashing the clichés of high school throughout this reflection and you may be asking, “Hey Angela, isn’t saying how the little things matter the most is actually another cliché?” You’d be correct. I wanted to come out of high school preaching that the “typical” cliché filled high school experience was not a reality for everyone. But, what I have realized is that there is no typical, universal experience. Of course everyone attends the same events, whether it be rallies, school dances, or quads, but high school truly is what you choose to get out of it. Some students spend all their free time enjoying life and hanging out with their friends. Others choose to study in order to get into a prestigious university. Both types of people are living the high school experience, just their chosen version, and that becomes the typical for themselves. I don’t wanna come off as someone who understands the emotional purpose of these four years or am making some groundbreaking realization. I’m sure someone has thought the same thoughts and that’s where I failed my mission. It’s a failure gladly taken though because that shows I actually got something out of these “measly” four years and successfully lived through all the clichés I sought to steer clear of.
Karine Chan
“Highschool will be the best four years of your life”— what a complete and utter lie. Many of us walked into Mills as bright-eyed freshmen invigorated to explore this new place we’d learn to love, or at least tolerate, over the next four years. In all honesty, I’d lean more towards tolerating. But seeing as this has taken flight on a more cynical note, let’s redirect. Despite the long nights, numerous breakdowns, and messed up relationships, high school definitely had some bright spots. I’ve never been one to enjoy the academic side of school, but one part I never grow weary of is writing. I love seeing the final product, full of subtle cues towards my personality as well as hard hitting facts written into eloquent sentences. For some bizarre reason, english class never seemed to bore me. Yeah maybe some days I didn’t really feel like writing a tedious 45-minute, MLA formatted, in-class essay—but nonetheless—the end result always had me grinning from ear to ear. Another tidbit I’ve learned about myself, I have quite the short attention span, so in the spirit of that lets move onto more fun things. Discovering myself—what makes me happy, what makes me sad, how I cope with situations, everything—has been the greatest blessing throughout highschool. In no way slandering myself, I used to be a sheep: I stayed quiet, did what my peers did, and compromised myself in order to fit in. I compressed my personality into this miniature box I’d hope fit the majority’s expectations. I was brutally unhappy. But through many self realizations I’ve arrived at one outcome: it literally does not matter what others think. As long as you are not hurting others, do what makes you happy. Cliché, I know. Attending senior year online will never not be disappointing, but everyday I choose to see it optimistically and realize that it could have been a hell of a lot worse. Being away from the normal school environment gave me a chance to explore life outside of the constricted high school bubble and learn to love all the different aspects of it. Now don’t get me wrong, of course there was a learning curve to this new, temporary way of life. And there were many low points, but all in all, I have been able to build and nourish new friendships, learn more about myself, and appreciate all the little things in life. I never thought I would be able to say this but: I am excited to move into a new chapter. I feel ready, or at least as ready as can be expected from a still naive seventeen year old, and for that I couldn’t be prouder.
Congrats to the Class of 2021!
The Thunderbolt
Senior Reflections Anjuli Niyogi
Reflection is the most important part of any experience in life. Experiences without reflection are mere events, but with time to ponder, contemplate, and look back, these events become meaningful experiences, and eventually, aspects of your identity. In my freshman year at Mills, I got to understand my place in the world a little better. I was a young 13-year old surrounded by a mass of 18-yearolds. We were all relatively young, but at the time, I got to see a glimpse of my future self and realized that it would take a whole four years to get anywhere close to there. A lot of underclassmen will try and grow up too fast, but slow and steady growth is the most worthwhile of them all. And you don’t start growing until you consistently step out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, and believe in yourself. My sophomore year was the year where I began to fully understand true stress. I learned about myself at some of my lowest points in high school and how easily I could get there back then. I learned how to take care of myself after those low moments and taught myself about finding a balance while still being passionate. My junior year was a strange one. It taught me that not every year is going to be the time of your life that you envision and that disappointment can hit you a lot faster and harder if you’re not prepared for it. And amongst it all, the year taught me to find joy in the small moments. A lot of the time, the best times aren’t the once-a-year milestones, they’re the everyday type of moments. My senior year taught me that dire circumstances force you into taking new perspectives. With an entire year online, there was less around and less to do. I learned to value the people and experiences I so often took for granted. This was also the year that I learned the very essence of this piece, that experiences without time to reflect are meaningless. While my connection to Mills has slowly been fading away over the last year, I will forever remember Mills as the place where I gained so many of these meaningful experiences and cultivated my identity because of them. Thank you for that.
Leanna Yu Two words. Ten letters. Say it and I’m no longer yours. When I look back on the past four years of my life, I remember the countless memories using the disparate phases of my hair. When did I join the cheer team? When my hair sparkled with golden brown highlights. When did I go to prom? When my hair was tinted purple. When did the stress of junior year get to me? When I cut off all my hair. Essentially, life is like hair: it’s ever-changing yet never stops growing. Everything in life is temporary, including the euphoric and the abysmal moments. There were times when I felt my nerves jumping out of my body before I would present on stage at a school event. Other times, I felt my world crumbling to pieces because of a “not close enough” grade difference or a “not good enough” mindset. But there were also times when I couldn’t stop smiling, like being asked to winter formal by my best friend or passing out the monthly edition of our school paper. Throughout these four years, you’ll experience all the emotions— pain, happiness, love, heartbreak, devastation, and pure joy— whether you know it or not. So, cherish every emotion, every experience, and even the bad haircuts, because nothing lasts forever. To me, it was all worth it. Every single thing I did, thought, or spoke led me to where I am and who I am today. Everything happens for you, not to you. It’s bittersweet to be leaving a place that I called home and the people I’ve known throughout my whole life, but every chapter in a book must come to an end before the next one begins. In 50 years from now when my hair has turned grey, I want to look back on the late night cram sessions, my exasperating red bottom locker, and desperately waiting to use the restroom and be able to say “I did it.” I’m proud to say that wherever each of us end up and whatever we do in this world, we started out together. Now, this is when our lives truly start and in the end, our hair will be okay. High school.
Misael Gomez
May 26th, 2021
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Flora Oliva
After several attempts of beginning this, whatever this is, my mind has cultivated the following string of words. Hi, my name is Flora Esmeralda Oliva, and I’m meant to write something with weight and elegance regarding my high school career. Unfortunately for you, I drum to my own beat. To be quite frank, I spent less time worrying about school and more worrying about everything outside of school. Don’t be fooled, I’m just like you, I cram studied hours before final exams, messaged friends in desperate need of explanations, complained how long school felt and laughed way too loud in classroom settings. At some point, we’ve all been on the brink of falling, some of us even free-falling into an abyss. I understand struggle far more than I understand success as I’ve walked the last four years hand-in-hand with strife. My advice is pretty simple, allow yourself the opportunity to live. For those of you who are like me and have a mind that never rests, the next one is for you. It’s far too easy to get consumed with all the moving pieces beneath our feet, to see everything we aren’t, but that isn’t living. It’s okay not to have everything perfected quite yet or to have a plan. High school is this whirlwind of emotions that leaves you wondering where the time went. There will be many things I’ll be glad to rid myself of, but there will be tons of minuscule events that will be missed. I think I’ll miss most of all those regular high school days; that didn’t seem to mean much at first glance but meant more to me than I’ll ever know. I’ll miss the familiar faces down the hall and the small banter heard echoing from all corners. I’ll miss eating lunch with my friends and talking about nothing yet everything. I owe a huge debt to Mills; it gave me a fighting chance in this world because of the faculty that stood alongside me through hits and misses. To my friends, thank you for the patience you’ve maintained and the laughter induced, you’ve kept me sane. Last but not least, to Freshman Flora, you did it despite all the heartache, you exceeded your expectations. With this last string of words, we make two loops, cross one over the other, into the hole, and pull tight. No loose ends.
Madison Wong I remember 14 year old, 8th grade me sitting in the Mills auditorium next to my mom listening to Ms. Duszynski talk about how in no time, we’ll be sitting in the same auditorium rehearsing for graduation. I sort of laughed in my head because I thought that high school would be the longest four years of my life, but now here I am, scratching my head and thinking, “Where did all the time go?” I’ll be honest, when I was first asked to write a senior reflection, I wasn’t sure exactly what to say. Some of my hardest times were in the last four years and we spent almost half of our high school careers at home. When trying to remember my favorite memories, I really had to think… and I thought hard. I easily remembered barely pulling a C on an essay I spent hours on, feeling frustrated when I couldn’t improve in track no matter how hard I tried, and losing sleep trying to finish assignments. But then I remembered the smaller things that made me smile, like Mr. Hensley’s dad jokes, Ms. Price’s funny expressions, or going grocery shopping with my teammates and coach the night before our state meet. The more I thought about these small moments, the more I started to appreciate high school. When I’m grown up, I don’t want my memories of Mills to be me failing yet another test; I want them to be of me driving to Burlingame with the windows down, blasting music with my friends on a Friday after school. Now, I don’t want to be one of those people who say, “Focus on the positive - you’ll be so much happier,” because I know that’s not how life works, but I do think that there is some truth to that statement. After reflecting on the past four years, I’ve realized that I can choose to remember high school by every regret, every failure, and every low moment I had, or I can choose to appreciate the people and events that made an impact on my life, big or small - and I’ve chosen the latter. My biggest piece of advice for underclassmen is to just take your time growing up and appreciate every little thing about high school, because as cliche as it sounds, it’ll go by quickly. Go to that dance, join that club even if none of your friends are interested, ask your crush out. The worst that’s going to happen is you’ll have a bad dat\y, but you could also have an amazing experience that you’ll remember forever. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life thinking, “What if I just did that one thing I always wanted to do in high school?” High school will be what you make of it, so go live a life you’re proud of that you won’t regret.
Coming into Mills as a freshman I had no idea what high school was going to be like. I never believed in the way movies and shows depicted high school, and for the most part I’m happy I didn’t because my experience was very different. I didn’t know many upperclassmen except for two of my cousins who were seniors that I talked to a lot. I asked them questions and advice about how to go about my freshman year. One of the cousins recommended I work with him during lunch and brunch handing out food for some quick cash. To this day that was one of the best pieces of advice given to me in my high school journey. For the most part, my freshman year was uneventful. It was really just go to school, go play soccer with my team, do homework, and repeat. Sophomore year was quite similar, except I began struggling in school and sports because I felt everybody else was better than me at the things I thought I was best at. Thankfully, I pulled through at the end of each semester. Junior year is when I really started understanding the importance of my highschool experience and taking the AP English class helped with that. I learned that hard work pays off when you see you passed the class. I kept working at lunch, hung out with my friends a lot more, and did cross country for the first time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, doing cross country was one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever taken in my life. The only regret I have is I didn’t do it in my previous years at the school. Doing the sport also gave me a boost of confidence in my life I needed, especially from being surrounded by such supportive people. For the remainder of my junior year I really didn’t do much school work because I had already done enough to pass all my classes before quarantine began. The summer between junior and senior year I picked up music, which I still do just for enjoyment. I wish my high school career finished in a traditional manner, but nothing in my life has ever been normal, so I guess this is fitting. I don’t regret anything from the last four years. Everything has helped me grow into who I am today. Thank you.
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may 26th, 2021
class
center s
Biola University Kristen Pon Hailey Lim
California Polytechnic State University at Pomona Michael Huang
California State University Northridge Justin Ng
Concordia University of Irvine
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Naomi Wong
Ethan Robson Xarina Lansang Wesley Tam
Dominican University Rylee Labson Zuhra Alazzeh
Chapman University Alohi Sheung Nikolas Janke
*highlighted names are members of the thunderbolt
University of Washingt Mina Lim
Humboldt State University Edmund Tiao
Chico State
Ryan Nakasu
University of Oregon
Santa Clara University
Menlo College
Cameron Li Tiffany Wong Anastasia Pezo Samantha Spicker
Angela Marie Dimaano
Taine DiOro
College of San Mateo
San Jose State Mt. San Antonio College Sebastian Law Helan Yuan Jennifer Wong University Kailah Pintor Flora Oliva Sacramento State University Jhanine Guevarra Sean Colina Karine Chan Neyda Carranza Espinal Alyssa Mendoza Jadyn Fowler Christian Kwan San Diego State University Julia Hung Ryan Fung Gabriella Handoko Isabella Dedes Cameron Wong Jeanan Ahmad Ryan Ng Emma McGraw San Francisco State University Julisa Cruz Kenneth Pham Skyline college Isabella Vaka Junar Lansang Misael Gomez Becerra Nicole Celentano Hayley Chai Wilson Liu Piper Osgood Evan Tomas Sunny Li Jasmin Wong University of California, Irvine Rosa Salgado Joseph Tom Lourd Fleifel University of California, Berkeley Anjuli Niyogi Leanna Yu Alton Cui Noah Ku Erin Lum Garvin Ye Thanasis Papakostas Carrie Ho Brandon Lai Daphne Situ Jennifer Sun Ryan C. Kwong Alex Lee Lilian Chang Nienhsuan Rachel Su
University of California, Merced Fatmeh Dajani Ivan Lai
University of California, Riverside Keefer Yip Naran Luvsanravdan Chloe Xu
University of Arizona Jaden Tung
University of California, Santa Barbara Sofia Mosqueda Nicolas Bours Bryce Wang Alexis Lin Justin Suboc
University of California, Davis Justin Condevillamar Fiona Chau Ethan Katsuyama Noel Lkhagvatsogt Phoebe Lee Sophie Juliana Baltasar
University of California, Los Angeles Brian He
University of California, Santa Cruz Jasmine Liang
University of California, San Diego So Hirota Vivian Kwan
University of New Mexico Aiden Neely
University of San Francisco Rachel Chan Collin Floyd Amy Zhang Nina Mauro Katelyn Lee Aaron Wayne Carina Velasco Benedict Abadilla Collin Floyd
note from editors: all voluntary responses were provided through a google form submitted by the students of the class of 2021 and are listed according to what was submitted, unless corrections were emailed to the thunderbolt by may 14th, 2021. student responses indicated in this map are subject to change.
University of H Nikki Won
post
*locator lines on th not drawn exactly t
s of 2021 the thunderbolt
spread
ton
Syracuse University
Guttman College
Victoria Williams
The University of Michigan
Jordan Hasty
Hannah Kwong
University of Utah
TUFTS University
Nicholas Shek Ali Nopper
Hawai’i at Mānoa
Meghan Kelly
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
New York University
Boston University
Quincie Wong
Madison Wong
Paul Leonard Hain
Penn State University Sargent Acosta
Rutgers University Aaron Lei
University of New Haven Nelson Ho
Oberlin College Brielle Lam
Purdue University Veronica Turner
Colorado State University Kelsey Juul
t-grad map
he map are a rough estimate and are to scale
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COLLEGE ALTERNATIVES apprenticeship program (SF) Brendon Lee
Undecided
Lesieli Netane
ADULT TRANSITION Victor Chelone
designed by: leanna yu, editor-in-chief
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Features Practicing Sustainability with Mills EAT May 26th, 2021
The Thunderbolt
Millbrae Blood Drive Anjuli Niyogi Editor-In-Chief
O
SUSTAINABILITY: The EAT continues to educate on
Maxwell Zaninovich Staff Writer
T he recently formed Environmental Action Team founded by
Maram Ahmed (11), Janice Yung (11), Kylie Chan (11), Secretary Alyssa Niwa (11), Treasurer Isabel Shinoki (11), and Marketing Director David Lock (11) has wanted to make a positive impact on Mills regarding sustainability. Ahmed stated, “It started when Kylie, Janice, and I were Youth Climate Ambassadors for San Mateo County and we were working on getting rain buckets at Mills. That really opened our eyes to the lack of sustainability that was happening at mills and we wanted to make a positive difference to bring about more
Maram Ahmed Mills High School
Important Topics Related to the Environment
sustainability at Mills.¨ Ahmed added that the overarching goal of the club is to, “Make our campus the most environmentally friendly that it possibly can be. And we hope that every single student and teacher engages in sustainability activity, so that we can collectively minimize our schools ecological footprint.” While it has been challenging to hold events and work on campus, the EAT has held a virtual screening of the documentary “Wasted: A A Story Of Food Waste”. Ahmed stated, “we had over 100 people turnout which was great to see that so many people really wanted to become more aware of the waste crisis. The documentary helped a lot of people better to sort their waste, and divert as little waste from the landfill as possible.” The club is
currently reaching out to elementary school teachers to see if any of them would be open to student presenters giving presentations to Millbrae elementary school classrooms so that students can be knowledgeable and develop good sustainability habits. On Friday May 7th, the club collaborated with the organization “beyond terra” to hold a webinar about biodiversity and how it affects butterflies and other animal populations. In the future, the EAT is hoping to collaborate with “beyond terra” again to hold a seed ball project, which is an event where you throw around balls of seeds that will eventually grow into plants. So far, the EAT has brought about positive change toward sustainability and hope to continue their work.
n May 20th, the Millbrae Area Red Cross hosted a blood drive at the local Westin San Francisco Airport hotel between 11 am and 4 pm. All participants had to schedule an appointment online to donate and had to follow coronavirus safety protocols. All participants had to have received a coronavirus vaccine to donate blood and must have been symptom free. No waiting period was needed between getting the vaccine and donating. As the need for blood donations remains high, blood drives like these are essential for health care to keep providing for their patients. Henceforth, all blood types were welcome (especially Type O) in order to restock the country’s blood supply for
the coming months. Donating blood is not for adults only; in California, donors can be as young as 16 years old and donate with parental consent. There are weight and height requirements, but if a youth ages 16+ is eligible with parent consent, they are more than able to donate. At this local Millbrae blood drive, anyone who donated blood, platelets or plasma in May through the Red Cross was automatically entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five from Suburban Propane. Anyone who donated in May before the 16th also received a $5 Amazon gift card. If you missed out on your chance to donate this month, there are many other opportunities to donate. The Red Cross is constantly having blood drives around the Bay Area and more locations can be found at their website: www.redcrossblood.org.
Anjuli Niyogi Mills High School
DONATIONS: Donors need the COVID-19 vaccine in order to give blood.
Experiences With East Asian Representation in Media as an Asian-American
Leanna Yu Mills High School
REFLECTING: Asian represenated roles in media mentioned in the article.
Leanna Yu Editor-In-Chief
W
hen I began thinking about this article, I had a clear vision of what I would talk about: CW’s Kung Fu family night at the Yu’s house. But, upon brainstorming, I realized that I became stuck… What other favorite shows or movies of mine
have an Asian American lead? For a whole week, I procrastinated sitting down and writing about Asian representation in the media because I honestly didn’t know where to start. It’s hard for me to immediately come up with a show that has an Asian American female main character. I’ve grown accustomed to enjoying a show purely for its plot, without thinking about (or maybe neglecting) the racial representation
(or lack thereof) presented in front of my own eyes. Growing up, the representation I saw was London Tipton from The Suite Life of Zack & Cody as the rich and not-so-bright heiress of a hotel and Tina Cohen-Chang from Glee as the “emo-punk, shy” girl with colored streaks in her hair. I remember watching the animated show, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, and being drawn to Kai-Lan just because she, the main character, looked exactly like me on TV and I had never seen that before. As I grew older, movies idealizing Asians, such as Mulan and Crazy Rich Asians, surfaced. But again, these were characters I personally couldn’t relate to as an Asian American. The fantasy of being an Asian heroine with warrior-like skills or discovering I’m dating an extremely wealthy bachelor is simply that— a fantasy for pure entertainment. Some of my favorite shows put diversity as the side characters, usually as the main character’s best friend (Lane from Gilmore Girls). Lane Kim represents a one-dimensional stereotype of a “suppressed Asian-American teenager growing up with a ‘tiger mom.’” In a Literally, Darling blog post dissecting the unrealistic whiteness of Gilmore Girls, Mayura Iyer states that “[Lane’s] storyline – familiar to many Asian-Americans, like myself – focuses on the cultural conflict between her mother’s traditional Korean upbringings and her desire to be more like a regular, American teenager. However, the reality is that Asian-American upbringings are much more nuanced than the black-and-white strictness portrayed in Lane’s household, and the exaggeration of this conflict only perpetuates worn-out stereotypes against the Asian-American community.” In
today’s popular culture, this can be viewed as tokenism, where being the “token minority” implies that “that person should act in a way that is in line with someone else’s stereotypical idea of their culture” normally in a group of white people. My newest obsession is Netflix’s original show, Shadow and Bone. The main character, Alina Starkov, is the target of many microaggressions for being considered an outsider due to her mixed ethnic background and the show makes sure that this is evident. Almost immediately in the opening seconds of episode one, Alina says that she’s “never been welcome” where she lives because “she looked like the enemy.” Although she’s lived in East Ravka her entire life, a fellow worker said to her, “I need to get a better view from your country.” While this fantastical story with magic, monsters, and supernatural elements is far from realistic, being a victim of racism isn’t. Racist remarks similar to “Go back to where you came from” are common insults used in many different countries to target immigrants, ethnic groups, and minorities. My first experience with this phrase was when I was only a child on vacation with my family within the United States. Someone asked me, “Where are you from?” and I smiled, “California!” before they repeated, “No, where are you really from?” I was confused as to what they were asking because I had only ever known America as my home. After my parents responded for me, I realized that I am more often seen as what I am, rather than who I am as a minority. This is further perpetuated by most mainstream media casting actresses of Asian descent in either stereotypical or demeaning roles.
Another recent favorite of mine is the new CW show, Kung Fu. The main character, Nicky Shen, lives in San Francisco’s Chinatown and uses martial arts to fight local crime and corruption while trying to find her mentor’s assassin. Kung Fu deals with current real world issues in their episodes, especially following the Stop Asian Hate Movement. According to the cast, “a story like Kung Fu moves the needle forward by humanizing Asian Americans. This is significant because attacks are often carried out when perpetrators fail to see Asian Americans as humans.” A common thought that reoccurs in my mind is how little I see of an Asian American character who is actually similar to me in the way I think, act, and live. This series centers around a Chinese American family that just exists like any other American family who experiences the spectrum of human emotions. Olivia Liang, who plays Nicky, elaborated on this insight: “They get to see us fight with our siblings, joke around with our siblings, be annoyed at our parents, want to figure out what we want to do with our life… The story that we’re telling is so universal and it’s just being told from an Asian perspective.” In an article by Kat Moon from TIME, it is stated that “when cultural influences are incorporated into the show—for instance, members of the Shen family taking off their shoes before entering the home—there is no sense of obligation to explain Chinese customs and traditions. ‘We’re just existing, and bringing those nuances to the screen,’ Liang says.” Kung Fu has been a fascinating show demonstrating the strength of Asian women and taking the first step in reclaiming the Asian American narrative in America.
Features
The Thunderbolt
May 26th, 2021
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Modem: First Digital Wellness for Asian Americans
Leanna Yu Mills High School
FOUNDER: Modem was created by Mills High School alumni, Tiffany Yu.
Leanna Yu Editor-In-Chief
F
ounded in 2021, Modem is the first ever wellness digital media company designed for Asian Americans. Modem’s mission is to “strengthen, empower, and heal the Asian American community” as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In addition to delivering wellness and lifestyle newsletters, they also provide pro-bono digital marketing services and free monthly drop-in wellness coaching to Asian Americans. The first service that Modem offers is digital content focused on normalizing Asian American mental health and wellness, which consists of digital media content and a weekly newsletter. Currently, over
14 newsletters sharing cultural narratives and conversations on holistic health have been published on their website (modem.substack.com). Aiming to keep their weekly newsletters an easy read, they include short features on various Asian-led organizations, community members, and leaders. Previous features on Gen-Z and millennial changemakers include: Dear Asian Youth, basement27, and Red Envelope Stories. Modem’s digital content was created as an outlet to produce content curated to the Asian American experience due to the lack of representation of Asian American voices in mainstream media. Modem’s content is written by and for Asian Americans, providing their perspectives and experiences on topics such as mental health practices, intergenerational dynamics, and navigating identity to
newsletter subscribers. The second service offered by Modem is Modem Health, a monthly telehealth program that offers free services in mental health, professional development, nutrition, and sexual health. This program is currently being piloted and undergoing finalization, but will be fully available to the public in two months. Modem is tackling the accessibility barrier to mental health treatment many Asian Americans face, as the underrepresentation of Asian Americans in mental health professions makes it difficult for Asian Americans to speak with nonAsian mental health providers due to the lack of cultural common ground. Modem Health’s goal is to facilitate a program that gives Asian Americans free access to consult with a network of holistic wellness providers of similar cultural backgrounds, paving the way for a more innovative healthcare delivery model. Founder and Executive Director of Modem, Tiffany Yu, is a current senior at UC Berkeley and Mills High School alumni (2017) studying her Bachelor of Arts in Data Science and Public Health. In addition to creating the first comprehensive holistic wellness telehealth company for Asian Americans with a 30+ person team, Tiffany is nationally recognized as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar, advisor for the United Nations, and attaining a Master of Science in Clinical Informatics Management from Stanford University this year. While reflecting on her established projects at Modem, Tiffany shared, “Every initiative that I’ve launched at Modem was shaped largely by my own experiences growing up Asian in America, so every detail of this company was created with intention… Whether it be media, healthcare, or policy, Modem is tackling it
all. I feel inspired by the work my team and I have put in, and it gives me hope that our work, as well as the incredible work that organizers, activists, and advocates are doing for all underrepresented communities across our nation, will help rip out the deeply ingrained roots of racism in our society in order to build a safer, healthier, and more inclusive world. We’re witnessing a turning point in history, and this is just the beginning. “This might be our past and our present, but this doesn’t have to be our future.” At the age of 21, Tiffany is a social entrepreneur, cultural commentator, and seasoned leader. Using her entrepreneurial expertise and company knowledge, Tiffany discloses advice for young innovators: “For all of you aspiring entrepreneurs at my alma mater, here are my words of advice. First, do your research. You don’t have to be an expert in your field, but you do need to have a thorough understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and the needs of the demographic you plan to serve. Be familiar with the competitive landscape and what specifically your product can do to disrupt the field. Second, partner with smart and reliable people to build your business. Contrary to the popular American imagination, no one can
do it alone. Find people who share your vision and can help you build and expand your product. Third, trust yourself. As a founder, you’ll be thrown into situations that school won’t prepare you for, so you’ll have to learn how to trust your instincts, lean on your intuition, and have confidence! Finally, never forget what motivated you to start your project or business. Founder burnout is a real phenomenon, and starting a company takes time and resources. You may also face rejection from others about your idea. It’s a long road ahead, so always remember why you started in the first place.” The Modem Team is currently in the process of forming an advocacy branch at Modem dedicated towards writing and advocating for policies that push for a more comprehensive legal definition of a hate crime and more measures in place to improve the safety of Asian Americans in public spaces. Sparked by the Stop Asian Hate social movement, Modem is working on formal bill writing and advocacy training as well as contacting state and federal legislators in this new advocacy initiative. As the first comprehensive holistic wellness telepath company for Asian Americans, Modem is breaking the mold for Asian American health services and multimedia representation in the nation.
Summer Event Spotlight: Millbrae Young Filmmakers Contest
THEMES:
This
Year’s
Film
Nagham Masarweh Staff Writer
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ne of the many events happening this summer in Millbrae is the Millbrae Film contest focusing on 6 themes. The themes this year are Millbrae landscape/landmarks, climate, energy, food, transportation, waste, and wildlife/ecosystems.
Contest
Focuses
on
Six
Submissions open on June 1st and all films must be submitted by August 12th.All finalists will be announced on September 10th. The award ceremony and premier will be on September 18. Students from 4th grade to 12th grade are all welcome to join. Students may submit a standard film of no shorter than 3 minutes and no longer than 8 minutes. They will accept and consider short animated films. The minimum length
Major
Themes
with
the
for animated films is 60 seconds. Animation and stop-motion films can present a solution or motivate viewers towards awareness or behavior change for one of the six topics. In other words, animations from those in grades 11 and younger are not required to show a problem and solution within this shortened time frame, as they are required to do with live action films. It is also to be noted that high school seniors
Goal
of
Solution
and
are able to have more freedom with the topic of their films. The rubric is on the website, the total points that you can get for the film is out of 100. Prizes will vary depending on age and grade. 4th through 5th grade will get a $100 dollar cash reward, 6th,7th, and 8th grade will get $200, 9th, 10, and 11th grade will get $400. Seniors will be getting a $1000 college scholarship. Winners will also get a screening at the Mid-Autumn
Motivation
Nagham masarweh Mills High School
Based
Submissions.
Festival and at other related educational and non-profit events hosted. The film will be posted on the Millbrae cultural community, and of course the cash prizes. The Millbrae Young filmmakers contest is a great opportunity for students to create films allowing expression and spread of awareness towards issues they are passionate about. Entries are to be emailed to video@mctv.tv.
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Opinions
May 26th, 2021
The Thunderbolt
The Truth About Beauty Standards Jordan Hasty Staff Writer
I
t is no secret that as the weather gets warmer and the summer season approaches, the media can be a rough space. Individuals are scrutinized, sexualized, and generalized in every feasible way: by our height, weight, eye shape, skin color, hairstyle, fashion choices, age, and particularly our body shapes. Hot weather means we are more likely to don our splashy summer outfits, displaying our bodies more to align with the seasonal heat. While the idea of wearing our favorite summer shorts, tanks, and jumpsuits may sound exciting, the headlines we come across in our go-to forms of entertainment can be destructive. Many headlines mention getting into bikini shape, losing weight, and trying new fad diets. In addition to these harmful captions, images of what the media believes to be the “ideal” beach body are everywhere, for example, the Kardashian-Jenner family. As the forefront of pop culture, the ladies’ social media accounts, filled with pictures displaying their cosmetically altered physiques, set high standards of beauty that are unrealistic and unattainable to the average person. Seeing and being constantly reminded of these depictions as often as adolescents do, we begin to believe that these nearly impossible standards are normal. This can be extremely undermining to our confidence, particularly for teens who are already insecure about their appearances. In turn, we subconsciously curate a desire to change the way we look, searching for quick weight-loss methods, digitally altering pictures until they reach ever-more unrealistic proportions,
going on potentially harmful detoxes, or paying to reconstruct different parts of the body in attempts to replicate the unattainable. In actuality, these looks, especially those exhibited by celebrities and supermodels such as the Kardashian and Jenner women, are decidedly not normal. As the thin ideal becomes increasingly normalized, the line between obtainable and implausible, fiction and reality, can be dangerously blurry. With this overwhelming drive of body concerns, comparing, and body surveillance, the immense psychological damage can be quite ruining to our perceptions of our bodies. Failure to live up to these impractical expectations is inevitable, because we are attempting to reach a level of flawlessness that simply does not exist. Fixating on the toned arms or glutes of public figures can diminish one’s self-worth drastically. Low self-esteem can negatively affect teens’ everyday lives, leading to a multitude of issues with the self, such as experiencing feelings of anxiety, loneliness, stress, and engaging in self-deprecating behaviors due to feeling inadequate for not looking like the individuals in the magazines. The exertion of influence doesn’t stop there — the close relationships in our lives are impacted, too. Lack of selfworth can lead to issues with friendships, problems in relationships, and familial conflicts to boot. Lastly, absence of confidence can impair our work and academic performance, as the tendency to doubt the capacity of what we are able to do and capable of increases. Speaking from personal experience, this doubting behavior can take a larger toll on your life than what meets the eye. Oftentimes, I found myself carrying out every
action in my life with the targeted intention of pleasing those around me, constantly keeping in mind what others thought of me. Swiftly, these thoughts began to consume the forefront of my mind, slowly diminishing my body confidence. Relying solely on others’ opinions, despite their little significance, became the center of my being — determining how much or how little I valued myself. Not only was this exhausting, but circling through the constant loop of thinking about ways to improve my looks, engaging in negative self-talk, experiencing a deterioration in mood due to the reflection staring back in the mirror, etc. was soul-crushing. With that being said, fostering a healthy relationship with how you depict yourself is not only key to life, but essential to our overall well-being. Shifting your mindset and perspective is a vital beginning step in the process of accepting yourself for exactly the way you are, regardless of your shape or size. Everyone is uniquely beautiful in their own way, and allowing yourself to acknowledge and trust that is truly eye-opening. Finding comfort in your own skin looks different for everybody, but the most tangible ways to practice loving yourself that were most beneficial to me began with first prioritizing self-care. Self-care does not have to be a lavish and expensive priority; it can be as simple as turning your phone on silent to read your new book, or enjoying a nice cup of tea after a long day. Allow yourself to find and indulge in something that brings you joy every day and make it a priority. Secondly, remaining present and patient. Realistically, practicing selflove cannot be a one and done kind of attitude. Time and consistency is
required to cultivate a new attitude towards self-worth and growth. Allow yourself to be present each day and celebrate the victories, whether they are big or small, every small step counts! One of the most trying steps personally is to stop comparing yourself to others. With the ever-broadening growth of social media, it becomes easier and easier to compare your looks to others in just a single post. It is crucial to remind yourself daily that each person has different genes, shapes, sizes, and lifestyles, and no two bodies look the same. Taking a break from social media at times can be helpful in your journey to accepting yourself as well. While social media can be a fun, it can easily become very toxic and harmful. As obvious as it sounds, surround yourself with people that make you smile. It is easy to ignore this practice altogether. Take a moment to go through those who are closest to you and determine if they make you genuinely happy on a daily basis. If you are finding difficulty in establishing whether they do or not, it may be time to do what is best for you and your health. Lastly, heed the mantra that you have a right to wear and eat whatever you want, and enjoy yourself. You have the right to eat, the right to take up space, and the right to wear whatever makes you happy. Clothing is an expression of your personality, it should not be confined - wear what makes you feel like your best self. Good health looks different on everyone; clothing is made to fit our bodies, not for us to fit into. It is not what we wear, but how we wear our clothing and the attitude that makes our day feel easy, breezy, and secure. Simultaneously, summer barbecues, indulging on holidays,
etc. are part of life. You are allowed to partake in pleasure and nourish yourself, expressing your body in the shape and size it is genetically meant to be. You do not owe anyone anything. Every individual is beautiful in their own skin, exactly the way they are - no exceptions. Be mindful that these practices are not linear, you will encounter trying thoughts, and that’s okay. Identify them, consider their validity, and recognize that you are above them; use them as a force to move forward and continue on. The process will require you to endure highs and lows, but in my experience I realized that maintaining an optimistic attitude throughout is absolutely critical. Body confidence and acceptance come over time, so don’t beat yourself up if at times it feels like things are impossible. Just keep going, you got it. The pressure to look good and show off our bodies is high during summer. Developing a healthy body image and being confident from the inside out takes concentrated effort and practice. Rejecting the body-shaming trend and speaking positively to yourself are just a few ways you can practice developing a healthy body image. External factors, such as properly fitting clothing, eating well, and exercise can aid in bolstering your body-to-mind confidence, and include benefits like feeling healthier, as well as lowering risk of disease. With the right frame of mind, the warm weather can be such a joy, which everyone deserves to bask and fully immerse themselves in. Bear in mind that summer beauty does not have a size. Have a wonderful, fun, and healthy summer, remembering to not only be kind to one another, but be kind to yourself.
Jordan Hasty The Thunderbolt
BODY POSITIVITY: A cartoon graphic of a group of women of different shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and backgrounds line up in swimsuits, posing for a picture. On top of them in black text says the word “beautiful.”
Student Opinions on Future Flexes Misael Gomez Sports Editor
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lex has always been a lot of students’ favorite period of the day, not counting lunch or brunch, of course, but due to this year’s online school system, there has been a drastic change in the amount of students who feel like flex is necessary if they are doing work from home. Currently, flex is between lunch and sixth period on regular Tuesdays and Fridays. Students on campus are required to attend and check in at a teacher’s classroom during flex However, next year school will likely be reopening, which means the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) has to make a decision on whether
or not they want to keep it between lunch and sixth period, or if they want to bring back the traditional flex schedule from before online school. Students have their opinions on the subject as well. For students who were able to experience flex last year, it was the best time to get caught up on any studying, homework, or projects with your peers and teachers all in the same room. This year, it didn’t feel that way at all. For starters, flex time was moved from in between 3rd and lunch/ 4th and lunch to after lunch and after 4th. This led to a lot of seniors who are only taking four classes not being incentivized to go to flex. As a younger student, flex during online classes isn’t as needed as when we attended school too. For Jason Habash (11), “[the flex schedule] be-
fore quarantine was better because if we have another period, we don’t need to stay for flex.” In other words, he feels that if you don’t have a 6th, having to stay for flex during lunch would be a waste of time. Ryan Kwok (11) liked the old schedule better as well because now, he doesn’t “have time to do certain events for clubs.” For one reason or another, this seems to be the overall majority opinion for students at Mills. Flex after lunch is inconvenient. Aside from the inconvenient time it’s scheduled in, SMUHSD is still trying to figure out their schedule for next year, so they could still change the flex placement, which they should. When it comes to in-person school, Seniors need flex just as much as anyone else. Even if it’s used as a period to do absolutely nothing,
for some seniors that’s the only time during the day they could relax. Underclassmen also would benefit from putting flex back to its traditional time because it allows them to work on any assignments they need done before their next class. Flex doesn’t help if it’s after pretty much all of their classes - that ruins the whole incentive of what it was made for. Flex is a lot of students’ favorite parts of the day, however online class changed the need for it. However when schools reopen, students are going to need the period more than anything else. Although I am graduating this year, I want every student next year to have a good experience, and flex is part of that. It’s not up to me, but I believe flex should be moved back to its traditional time when school reopens.
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Photodocia
FLEX-HELP: Teacher checks student work.
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Opinions
The Thunderbolt
May 26th, 2021
An Overview of the Return to Campus Raquel Catpo Staff Writer
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efore spring break, students at Mills were given the opportunity to choose whether they wanted to attend hybrid learning, enabling them to go back to school for a few days a week, or stay at home and continue distance learning for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Many students chose to stay at home, perhaps to avoid COVID-19 risks. Others chose to go back to campus for various reasons, like receiving extra support or learning in a more suitable environment. In order to ensure the safety of students and staff, the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) developed a reopening plan, with detailed mandates and rules. For example, face coverings are required to be worn at all times and everyone must maintain a minimum of 6 feet of physical distance. Students are also required to pass a health screening using the LiveSafe
app. Those who opted for in person classes were separated into two groups, Cohort A and Cohort B. Cohort A attends in-person learning on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Cohort B attends on Thursdays and Fridays. Both cohorts stay at home on Wednesdays. On March 31st, freshmen took a tour around campus to locate their classes. The hybrid classes began on April 1st and 2nd. When asked why she chose to take in-person classes, Kira Woo (9) explained, “I wanted to experience a little bit of my freshman year and be able to see some friends. I think it is better for students to learn in person because there’s a safe, good environment for learning and it’s more engaging having the teacher there in real life.” Woo also mentioned how helpful it is to talk to teachers and ask more questions directly. Regarding challenges during in-person learning, Woo stated, “My biggest struggles going back to school was getting used to the large campus and how things work during hybrid learning.” Students in higher grades, like
juniors or seniors, who are back on campus are also unfamiliar with the new schedule and rules. Katelyn Lee (12) chose to return to in-person classes because she wanted to spend her last days at Mills on campus. As she pointed out the differences between the current in-person learning model and her previous years at Mills, Lee stated, “It’s different because not all my friends are on campus so that sense of normalcy isn’t completely there. We also don’t have a bell anymore so it’s a little weird leaving class without a bell schedule.” Despite being in different grades, Woo and Lee have similar reasons for their choices, which isn’t surprising considering how COVID-19 has kept us away from seeing friends. While there are challenges and benefits that come with both learning environments, at school versus at home, students are all receiving the same education. As COVID-19 vaccinations are increasing daily, many parents and students are hopeful that all students will return to in-person learning for the next school year.
Raquel Catpo The Thunderbolt
HYBRID LEARNING: Students sit in desks, socially distanced and with masks.
“My biggest struggles going back to school was getting used to the large campus and how things work during hybrid learning.” - Kira Woo (9)
Impacts of National Boba Shortage M
Magdalene Ko Staff Writer
y all time go-to drink is boba milk tea. These sweet, chewy, circle toppings from Taiwan are a must for any flavor of milk tea, especially since all boba shops carry it. But, to my surprise, there’s a nationwide boba shortage. As absurd as it sounds, it’s true. We are about to drink our precious milk tea without the most important part: the boba. A multitude of reasons has ultimately caused the shortage. For one, demand has gone up during the pandemic. With many of the usual activities closed due to the pandemic, people have gone out for boba more often than before, especially since it has gained recognition on social media platforms such as TikTok. The main reason, however, is the sea jam. With COVID restrictions in place on both eastern and western ports, all goods shipped from Asia to the U.S. are coming especially slowly. Shortage of workers due to COVID, quarantine, and social distancing guidelines have only added to the delays. Unfortunately, since these tapioca pearls rely so heavily on ingredients from Asia, the industry was hit especially hard. Boba seems to be just a trivial treat, but for boba lovers and even regular teens like me, life without boba would be boring indeed. Although I myself don’t get boba very often, I know some people who have to drink it everyday, or at least every other day. A shortage would definitely cause them to suffer boba withdrawals, as improbable as that might seem. For others, going out and grabbing a milk tea is a way of socializing NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: When I was first introduced to the idea of being an editor for The Thunderbolt, I immediately said no. But after lots of convincing (and I mean a lot), I gave in and put in my application to become an editor. During the summer, I was notified that I was offered the opinions editor position,
with friends. It represents times when we could go out and sit together without masks or distancing, just talking and enjoying our drinks. Boba ties everyone together, as one can tell from the many boba phone cases, stickers, keychains, and other merchandise sold and used. Even though I’m not an avid milk tea drinker, I myself have several boba keychains and cases. Without their main ingredient, many boba shops would suffer greatly. For them, the absence of boba would force them to rely on other tactics to keep people coming to
buy tea. Some only allow customers to have boba in one drink per order, while others no longer allow extra orders of boba. Sadly, it seems the delay of boba could quite possibly last until summer. This would mean there would be an inconvenience to the many boba fans, but more importantly, could cost many people their jobs. It’s easy for us to overlook how heavily boba shops rely on selling their trademark. Many of the bigger stores sell other food and drinks as well, like the smoothies my friend loves from Eggettes, or the basil popcorn chicken my friends and I grab
from T4U. However, without boba, it is very difficult for businesses to attract customers. The selling point of all these shops are boba. However, boba is just one of the many toppings these stores offer. One of my favorite toppings is grass jelly. This sweet desert, which originates from China, is an herb jelly, normally served in cold squares on its own or as a topping for other deserts. When made well, it’s very refreshing and slippery, easily sliding up the straw. Some other toppings I like to pair with my tea are jellies. Personally, my favorites are
Mike Pomranz Food and Wine
BOBA: Close up picture of the top of a boba milk tea with boba overflowing at the top of the drink.
and reluctantly said yes. I was excited to read about other people’s opinions, as I have many strong ones myself, but I also had no idea what I was doing going into the class (evident in my first few layouts), especially since this was my first year in the class. But I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate the work that goes into producing a
newspaper. While being an editor has not always been easy, I was able to connect with underclassmen who I would not have met otherwise, read many interesting opinions, and learn a little about digital media through working on the layouts, something I initially dreaded doing even before the school year started. Maybe I’m
looking too far into things, but this class has made me admire the effort behind everything so much more: you may look at a newspaper as just a newspaper, but to me, it represents the dedication of The Thunderbolt editor team and staff writers to create something for the rest of the Mills community to appreciate. Thank you
mango and lychee, but there are an abundance of flavors. These are normally small chewy rectangles, so if you miss the chewy texture of boba, here’s the perfect substitute. Another addition I’ve tried is red bean. Admittedly, like grass jelly, it can be hard to find made well. The red bean must be cooked properly to become soft and flavorful. On the flip side, red beans add a unique taste to most tea, and are a fun change from the usual toppings. Some people don’t like red bean, but I love both the taste and texture. As an added bonus, red beans are high in nutritional value. I’ve also seen that popping boba has become quite popular. I tried it once, and decided it wasn’t for me. However, the tiny spheres that burst open in your mouth are quite fun and bring variety to the drink. Like jelly, popping boba comes in different flavors, so you can pick to match the type of tea you order. Another fad I’ve heard about is salted cheese foam and sea salt foam. I’ve never tried either of them, but heard it brings a good balance to an otherwise very sweet drink. It also originates from Taiwan, and is a whipped form of milk and cream cheese. The foam is layered on top of the tea and requires a specific drinking process to get the full experience. A straw would be unable to get both tea and cheese in one sip, so the proper method is to tilt the cup at a 40 degree angle. It sounds quite precise, but I’m sure foam fans would say it’s worth it. Hopefully, the boba shortage will end quickly, and like the pandemic, life can return to normal. Despite the current shortage, there are plenty of changes we can branch out to for our favorite drinks. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a topping you like even more than boba! for taking the time every month to read and appreciate The Thunderbolt as much as I have this school year. Have a safe, fun summer. Signed,
Madison Wong Opinions Editor
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Sports
May 26th, 2021
Asian
The Thunderbolt
Representation
A
API Month is the month tocelebrate all individuals of Asian/ Pacific Islander descent. We celebrate many great achievements and athletes who are and were able to be successful in American culture. Among the many famous and perhaps not well known athletes there have been many great achievements and we honor them all nevertheless. Jeremy Lin is one of the most well known basketball players internationally and for good reason. With his underdog career and rising to all star fame, his legacy, often dubbed “Linsanity’’ inspired many and is one of the most well known stories of all time. Born in Torrance,California on August 23, 1988, Lin was taught basketball at a local YMCA by his father. He led his high school team to multiple victories over other schools and was named first-team, All-State, as well as Northern California Division II Player of the year. Being constantly underestimated and being an underdog, Jeremy Lin had a hard time with proving himself as a point guard. Eventually, in a tough game, Lin was put in and he proved himself as a literal wonder on the New York Knicks. Linsanity rocked the nation and Lin became a superstar, though for a short while, before he was drafted through multiple teams. Lin now resides on the Santa Cruz Warriors, away from the superstar life, but still playing hard and residing as a legend. Though Jeremy Lin solidified the impact of players of Asian descent in the NBA, Wataru Misaka was the first player of Asian descent as well as the first non white player to ever play in the BAA in 1947. This organization would later become the NBA. Born in Ogden, Utah on December 21, 1923, Misaka grew up in a rather ghetto area and lived through the apartheid era, experiencing racism, being refused service in restaurants, and having people cross the streets rather than walk on the same side as Wataru. Playing basketball and other sports in highschool, Miska lived a hard life, working on a farm to support his family as well.
Featured Persons: Tiffany Chin - Top Right, Wataru Misaka - Bottom Left, Jeremy Lin - Bottom Right.
in Sports
Eventually, after Misaka graduated from highschool into college, Misaka led his team, the University of Utah to two national championship victories, despite the current unrest with Pearl Harbor and Japanese Americans being relocated. Having been drafted into the Knicks in the 1947 Basketball Association of America Draft, Wataru unfortunately only played 3 games in the November of the same year before being waived. The hard competition with 3 other starting guards on the team, as well as issues with political racism, ended Wataru’s career early. Wataru, however, was not fazed and understood that it couldn’t be helped. He instead returned to school to become an engineer after declining an offer to play with the Harlem Globetrotters and was able to live a comfortable life working as an electrical engineer at a company in Salt Lake City, Utah. Having had two kids with his wife, Kate, Mitsuka passed away on November 20, 2019. His legacy as the first non-caucasian to play in the NBA still lives on and was commemorated by having been inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. Tiffany Chin was an American figure skating competitor and coach during the years of 1983 to 1987. Chin was born in Oakland, California on October 3, 1967 and grew up in San Diego, California. Having a successful early career, Chin won the 1981 World Junior Championships, which was held in London, Ontario during the year of 1980. Finishing in top 4 often during her later career,
Chin had many issues with injuries, mechanical decline, and problems with trainers. She later retired in 1987 after having been slimly beaten by skater, Tonya Harding, and sensing no chance to compete for a higher placing. During her career, Tiffany was a two time World bronze champion (1985-1986), two time Skate America champion (1983, 1986), and the 1985 US National Champion. After her retirement, Chin became a coach, having coached skaters Beatrisa Liang and Hounsh Munsh. Chin became a technical specialist in 2006, receiving national status in 2007 and coached 2018 Winter Olympics qualifier, Kailani Craine of Australia. Chin was commemorated in the Los Angeles, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California in “Celebrating Chinese Americans in Sports’’, during May 3, 2009. The three athletes talked about in this article obviously do not cover all of the AAPI athletes out there but they are still honored for being able to compete and perhaps rise in non native territory. We hope to see more stars like Lin, Wataru, or Chin rise up and make a name for themselves.
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We hope to see more stars like Lin, Wataru, or Chin rise up and make a name for themselves.
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Joshua Choe Staff Writer